


When you return to me

by novacorpsrecruit



Series: Tougher than (we) look [2]
Category: Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Amazing Spider-Man (Movies - Webb)
Genre: Angst, College, Established Relationship, Fixing their relationship because they fucked up with secrets, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, ft. a cute blond who's body temp is way above boiling point, regular college bullshit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-08
Updated: 2017-12-19
Packaged: 2018-12-15 05:46:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 82,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11799681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/novacorpsrecruit/pseuds/novacorpsrecruit
Summary: After discovering their secret identities, Peter Parker and Harry Osborn meet once again at college. Now, they have to uncover the secrets of the past year and work through difficulties to make their relationship work again. All four of them: Peter, Harry, Spider-Man and the Green Goblin ... although, Harry swore that he left him behind.Follow-up from "Tougher than I look"





	1. 'I want to go back to us.'

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is a follow-up to "Tougher Than I Look" and will make 78 percent more sense if you read that first. The important thing is knowing the main conflict of "Tougher than I look" plus some minor details, but if you have any questions, let me know! Most of the stuff will be retouched, but this is practically a continuation w/o making a 50 chapter fic. 
> 
> I don't have a set schedule, this writing has been a bit slower. I think this one might also be shorter, but we will see.

Peter Parker ended his rough summer on a high note. At least, a pitchy high note.

He earned quite a bit from the Daily Bugle, working as an almost full-time staff photographer. Although, most of that money went straight to his textbooks. Spider-Man's regularly scheduled super villains were all imprisoned by the end of July. Although, your everyday criminals started to pick up the slack. And most importantly, his heart was hurting considerably way less than it was earlier in the season.

But there wasn't a day that he went without thinking about Harry Osborn.

He missed having someone to talk to. He missed having a hand to hold. He missed laying around Harry. He missed his touch, his fingers through his hair, his lips against Peter's skin.

He hasn't heard from Harry since ... _that night_.

The night he last saw the Green Goblin. The night the Goblin captured Spider-Man, beat Spider-Man, ready to turn him over for testing. Peter wasn't sure if it was the poisonous gas in his lungs or the Goblin's hard blows to his face, but as soon as the Goblin pulled off his mask, he blacked out, only to hear the frantic cries of his boyfriend, realizing what he done.

Peter forgave Harry months ago. He forgave him the next day. But Harry was missing. He brought Peter home, cared for his wounds, then disappeared. Even his father didn't know where he went off to for the first week. Peter tried to get in contact with Harry constantly the first few weeks, but each message was left unresponded. He'd text him intermittently throughout the summer, but he never heard from him.

Until his first day at Columbia University. Peter was almost in disbelief at the stranger sitting next to him in Organic Chemistry  _was his boyfriend._ He felt a wave of relief finally seeing Harry safe, breathing, alive. But he needed so much more than just seeing Harry was okay. He needed to talk with him. Before the words could leave his mouth, the professor started his prepared introduction, quickly falling into the syllabus.

Peter tried to grab Harry after class, but Harry packed up and dashed out, avoiding any interaction with Peter **.** Peter sighed. The mood was set for the semester. Maybe he should find someone else to sit by. He picked up his textbook to find a yellow note sticking out from the top.

_We should talk. About ~~spider.~~   ~~that night.~~  being us again. Coffee tonight?_

_x H_

Peter smiled, shoving the note into his pocket. He pulled his phone out to text Harry, hesitantly hovering his thumbs over the keyboards. Previous unanswered text messages taunting him that Harry had the possibility of not answering back.

_Thursday, July 13, 19:12_

_P: I saw a dog today._

_Saturday, July 15, 22:35_

_P_ _: My love/hate relationship with Flash's parties still exists._

_Wednesday, July 19, 14:03_

_P: Hole in the Wall got a new dark roast that you should try._

_Tuesday, July 25, 07:29_

_P: Happy birthday._

_Monday, July 31, 17:55_

_P: Did Gwen ever tell you she's going to Oxford?_

_Sunday, August 6, 02:48_

_P: Dude I'm really missing you._

_P: Please come home._

Peter glanced around the room, noticing that he was one of the few left in the classroom. He pocketed his phone and gathered the rest of his stuff and left the building. He was free until 11 for Physical Chemistry **.** So he might as well stay near the building. He found a nice shady spot to sit down and pulled a Poptart out of his bag. He pulled his phone out, and finally texted Harry.

_Monday, August 14, 09:52_

_P: I'd love to talk. Where at?_

_H: Carman, 1102._

Harry's text almost came instantly, as if he was waiting for Peter to text him.

_P: Time?_

_H: 8?_

That would give Peter enough time to do a few patrols around Manhattan. He'd swing by Aunt May, but she told him he wasn't allowed to come home for the first two weeks. Okay, maybe a week and a half.

_P: Yeah sounds good._

_H: Please be safe._

Peter's breath hitched. He almost forgot Harry knew his secret. Harry knew he planned to patrol as Spider-Man. It still felt unreal, and he almost felt bad for making Harry worry. He started to reply to Harry, a simple "Will do" until he glanced at the top of the screen, reading his previous text messages to Harry.

He erased his message.

He forgave Harry for hiding the Goblin. He forgave Harry for the bruises and the broken ribs, he didn't know it was Peter behind the mask. But he's not sure if he forgives Harry for leaving him in the dark. Peter went the entire summer without hearing from Harry, only to hear about his safety from his dad who gave the bare minimum information. So why should Peter assure Harry that he's going to be safe? Harry never did.

He switched from the messaging app to his schedule, confirming his next class was at 11. His schedule was scattered across the board, filled with time slots he knew he had to be on campus for classes and events he was scheduled to photograph for the Daily Bugle. He set a reminder for his talk with Harry, hoping that it would be enough to get him back to campus on time. He took a bite of his breakfast as he studied his schedule, trying to memorize his class schedule when his phone buzzed with texts.

_H: Biomed engineering seminar is starting off with an ice breaker_

_H: You have to remember everybody's name in the correct order of the seating charts._

_H: I'm in Engineering Hell TM._

Peter laughed. He started to text back ... before erasing his message once again. He was craving Harry's attention only twenty minutes before, but he couldn't fall back into place so quickly. As much as he wanted to skip the rest of his classes to cuddle with Harry in an extra-long twin-sized mattress, he knew that they had to ease their way back into place.

He set his phone aside as he pulled his copy of "Angels in America," something he's been trying to read all summer long, but he hardly made a dent. Maybe with this free hour, he could actually finish --

His phone buzzed quietly.

_H: I am literally dying in this class_

Peter flipped his phone over, turning his attention back to his Poptart and his book before it buzzed again. He sighed and picked it up.

_H: Bury me with a good dark roast._

With each new text, Peter grew more irritated. How could Harry be so silent for the past three months, and suddenly text him 6 times within the past ten minutes. He opened the messaging app, quickly switching the conversation notifications to "do not disturb." As he backed out of the app, he noticed that Harry's read notifications were turned back on. He remembered the hurt he felt in April when each text he sent was answered with a "read at" message. Then soon, only with a "delivered." 

With the newfound technology silence, Peter's full attention was back on his breakfast and book.

Well, that was until he felt his spider-sense go off and police sirens filled the air.

He sighed, shoving his phone and book into his bag and his Poptart into his mouth as he took off toward the sirens. He was hoping to have at least one normal day at university, but normal is hardly in Peter's vocabulary. 

But "a routine bank robbery" was.

Nothing too big, just a small branch a few blocks away from campus. The robbers seem to barely have a plan. Two were focused on the tellers, forcing the money into the dufflebags while two others patrolled the lobby, watching the loan officers and the customers. Spider-Man was able to walk through the doors as they didn't have anyone guarding the front. Peter knew would've been able to wrap this up within four, maybe six, web shots, if one of the hostages wasn't a young child, suddenly excited to see a superhero in action. One of the robbers notices the child's change in expression and quickly turns around, gun aimed and fired.

Spider-Man could sense the danger before the bullet even left the muzzle. He quickly dodged the bullet and webbed the gun, snatching it from his hand. He quickly webbed the weapon to the ceiling before turning his attention to the next spider-sense.

He turned around to the second hostage holder, quickly webbing him to the wall before he could even put his finger on the trigger. He webbed the first shooter, before he could even make a run for his friend.

"Man, you guys won't even let me catch a -- " He spider-sense went off. Spider-Man moved, but the bullet grazed his left arm. He gasped, instantly reaching his hand for his arm, hovering over it before quickly webbing the remaining robbers to the counter, then snatched their guns away, webbing them to the ceiling.

"Terrible service," Spider-Man breathed. "I mean, hostages? Shootings? This is why people use ATMs. Another thing millennials are killing --" He took a sharp breath, suddenly remembering the pain on his arm. He glanced toward one of the tellers. "You have a -- a first aid kit?" He nodded, pointing toward the backroom. Spider-Man nodded, putting his hand on the wound. All he needed was a gauze pad, or a large bandage. Something to help stop the bleeding and allow his healing to kick in. He'd be fine by tomorrow.

\-----

Peter quickly worked his way through the building. He only had a few minutes before class started, and if Physical Chemistry was anything like Organic Chemistry, he would be locked out if he wasn't on time. He almost wished he would've just wore the suit underneath his clothes, but it was way to warm for long sleeves.

As soon as he turned the corner, he slammed right into someone leaving their class.

"Ow," Peter winced, grabbing his arm. He suddenly realized he was still standing and the person he ran into ... well, wasn't. "Oh shit, I'm sorry." He bend down and helped gather their book and notes. He stacked them up and handed them to ... Harry.

"I should've watched where I was going," Harry said softly, picking his phone off the ground and locking the screen. "Texting and walking is probably worse than texting and driving."

"It's definitely not," Peter laughed, as he helped Harry up.

"Did you get my texts?" Harry asked, regretting the words as they fell out of his mouth. "I mean -- I'm sorry you don't --"

"Yeah I did," Peter said. He glanced at the messaging app while changing, noticing the 12 unread text notifications. "I was reading for most of my free hour." He noticed Harry's eyes glance toward Peter's arm, his _slightly injured_ arm. Peter glanced down at the spot of red bleeding through the gauze pad. "I also had to run to the bank. Make a withdraw, y'know. Normal bank stuff."

Harry quickly dug in his bag, pulled something out and slammed it into Peter's chest before walking away. Peter grabbed it before it fell, and watched Harry leave. He glanced down at the large bandage in his hand. He sighed before bolting to his class, barely making it before class started.

Physical Chemistry was in the same lecture hall as Organic Chemistry and as much as Peter hated to, he found an empty isolated spot in the back of the hall. He set his bookbag on the table in front of him and pulled his notebook out. As soon as the professor started to go over the syllabus, Peter reached for a clean napkin from his bookbag, setting it on the table. He angled his bag in front of him, in case someone decided to turn around and catches him in the middle of dressing his bullet wound.

It was practically a scratch if you asked Peter. It was still bleeding, but it was healing. These things take a little longer to heal. He started to pull the medical tape off of the gauze pad, pressing pressure into the pad one last time before taking it off and putting it in the napkin. He unwrapped the bandage Harry gave him and pressed it on top of his wound. He scrunched up the napkin, concealing the bloody gauze pad before trying to tune back into the lecture. Which was hard to do, since it almost seems as if this syllabus was the same as the last one. He pulled out his phone, setting it beside his bag and flipped through Harry's text messages.

Peter was mad at Harry -- no, he was frustrated. Frustrated that he left without any warning, without any communication, leaving Peter in the dark. And how here Harry was, texting him like nothing happened, wanting to fall back into place, but Peter knew they couldn't do that. Peter couldn't do that. Peter almost had thought they were broken up. Peter _almost_ had closure. And here Harry was, texting him about his schedule and how he's starting to hate the entire first row of his biomedical engineering class.

Peter remembers constantly questioning their relationship this summer, talking with Aunt May about Harry. As far as Aunt May knew, Harry had left because of the stress of school and Oscorp on his shoulders. She didn't know about the Green Goblin's identity nor did she know Spider-Man's. Peter knows he should come clean, avoiding another complete disaster, but he had hopes that Aunt May secretly wasn't a super villain.

He remembers Aunt May being super supportive of both him and Harry. "Give him time," she first told Peter whenever he mentioned their relationship. "He'll be back and you guys can work things out." But as the summer went on and Peter kept stressing how he's concerned about their relationship, Aunt May's tone changed slightly. "Maybe you should put yourself first." Peter was surprised at her suggestion, but Aunt May continued. "You're letting your relationship eat you when half of your relationship isn't in the city. He will be back and you can sort your life out, but for now, why don't you focus on yourself. Focus on getting ready for college. That's coming up soon you know."

Peter nodded, understanding Aunt May's reasons, but he still missed Harry. "How long should I wait until --" He stopped, not sure if he wanted his sentence to end.

"As long as you want to," Aunt May pressed a gentle comforting kiss to the top of Peter's head before checking on dinner in the oven.

Peter half wanted to call Aunt May after class. He wants to find reassurance that he should talk to Harry tonight and that ignoring his texts isn't the ... absolute worst thing to do. He wanted to find comfort -- but he knew he had to do this on his own.

\-----

After two more classes, a few photo opportunities for the Daily Bugle and one good, long patrol (with a supper break, of course), Peter made his way back to campus. He didn't know his suitemates' schedules well enough to change at the dorm, even if he had a single room. Luckily, alleyways seem to be a quick makeshift changing room. He glanced at his phone, surprised to see it no new messages from Harry since his morning class. He glanced at the time **:** 8:17 pm.

"Shit." Peter said, before taking off running toward Carman Hall. He meant to keep track of time. He knew it wasn't going to be a huge deal, but he promised. 

As soon as he got into the elevator, he glanced at his phone to see one of Harry's original messages. "Carman, 1102," Peter said under his breath as he pressed the button to go to the 11th floor. As soon as he stepped out of the elevator and glanced around, he realized that Harry didn't specify which room he was in. He said 1102, but he didn't say A or B, like most of the rooms were set up in Carman. He turned down the hall, finally finding the awkward door tag with Harry's name on it. Only his name on it. He knocked on the door.

It felt like forever, but wasn't much more than ten seconds, before the door opened, Harry standing in the doorway. "Hey," He said softly. He stepped out of the way to let Peter in.

"Hey," Peter said, as he entered the room. Peter noticed that the way the room was set up was different than he remembered seeing on his tour. It ... actually looked like it was missing stuff. He glanced around, realizing that Harry was the only person living in this room. Harry would. "Are you --?"

"By myself?" Harry completed Peter's question, as he shut the door. He rubbed his eyes before turning back to Peter. "Uh, yeah. My roommate bailed last minute." He picked up a coffee from the desk, now lukewarm, and handing it to Peter. Peter nodded, and sat on the very edge of Harry's bed. Harry picked up his coffee and leaned against the desk, taking a small sip from his coffee. 

The two sat in silence. Neither really wanting to speak up, not sure where to start. 

Peter watched Harry, as he stared at the top of his coffee cup, playing with the lid, avoiding eye contact with Peter.

Peter almost wanted to leave. He couldn't figure out where to start, he almost was hoping that Harry would just apologize. He glanced around the room, noticing the pictures Harry had pinned against the wall. The few that were there, were of the two. The one in the center was from prom night, and Peter could feel his stomach drop. He loved his time at prom with Harry, it was the memories of the following night that hurt. 

"I know I shouldn't be mad," Harry said softly, breaking the silence. "But I am. Pete, I can't get over it --"

"You're mad?" Peter asked, almost a little defensive. "About what?"

"About the lies," Harry said, finally looking up from his coffee. He rubbed his eye again, Peter realizing he's pushing tears away. "You literally lied to me. You lied to me today. How much of _us_ is built on lies?"

"I --" Peter hesitated, he wasn't expecting this. He should've. He has been lying their entire relationship. He didn't realize that this was bothering Harry. "I tried to tell you."

"There were so many opportunities for you to come out," Harry wrinkled his brow. "You can't tell me that you tried --"

"I was trying to protect you," Peter interrupted, raising his voice. "You know what happened with the Rhino. I didn't want you to become a target if for some reason bad guys found out you were dating --" He stopped realizing how loud he was speaking. He knew the walls weren't thick, he could hear his suitemates in his own dorm. He lowered his voice. "Found out you were dating Spider-Man."

"But I wasn't dating Spider-Man, I was dating _you,_ " Harry said. "Plus, you know what happened. I'm a target with or without you. I'm an Osborn, it happens."

"When has that ever happened before?" Peter remembers that night too well. It was New Year's Eve and they had decided to go to Times Square to watch the ball drop, making a few stops at some local indie band's set when the Rhino decided to stop by and swoop up Harry. If it wasn't for Spider-Man, Peter wasn't sure where Harry would be right now, if Harry would be alive _._

Harry hesitated. "It ... could happen. You could've told me then."

"I ... I could have," Peter said softly. "I'm sorry. I really should have told you." The more he thought about it, if he told Harry then, Harry probably wouldn't have blacked out due to hypothermia. "You know why I'm ... frustrated, right?"

Peter watched as Harry's eyes suddenly widen, and go back to the top of his coffee cup. "Yeah," his voice small. "But I promise you, I didn't know. I didn't --" He stopped to wipe the tears streaming down his face.

"No, no, hey," Peter set his coffee on Harry's dresser and approached Harry. He gently cupped Harry's face, wiping the tears from his cheek. "I don't hold that against you. I promise." Harry hesitantly hovered his hand over Peter's, almost not wanting to physically touch his skin. Harry closed his eyes as he let his fingertips, gently touch Peter's hand.

"I should've stopped."

"You didn't know."

"I still should've stopped," Harry said softly. "I -- I was just supposed to use the pumpkin bomb. After that went off, I was supposed to --"

"We can forget about that night."

"I can't," Harry said softly.

"We can moved passed it," Peter said, wiping another tear from Harry's face. He wanted to kiss Harry. He wanted to press his lips against his forehead, let him know that everything will be okay, but Peter's not sure if he's ready for that. He moved his free hand, and ran his fingers through Harry's hair, brushing loose strands back into place.

"I want to go back to us," Harry said softly. "When it was just you and me -- and not ... _them_."

"I want to, too," Peter said quietly. "But this summer was hard on me, Hare. You disappeared on me. I didn't hear from you."

"I didn't want you to worry."

"I _was_ worrying," Peter said, exhaustion filled his tone. "I relied on your dad for information, and he hardly told me anything."

"He told you were I was --"

"He said your grandmother's. He didn't specify Italy."

"I ... I didn't realize how much that hurt you," Harry said quietly.

"I thought we broke up," Peter said. "I ... I was almost over you." He felt Harry's jaw clench against his hand, and his gentle touch fade away from his skin as his hand returned back to the desk.

"What ... what kept you from being over me?"

"The hope that you'd return."


	2. 'It's my turn.'

Peter realized why Harry had brought them Americanos instead of plain, black coffee.

They had a lot of ground to cover. 

The two boys made their way to the twin sized bed, sitting on opposite ends. Harry sat on his bed with his legs crossed, tucking himself slightly under the comforter, while Peter sat at the foot of the bed, back against the wall and legs extended as they tried to figure out the truths in their relationships. With each question, the boys promised to not let the uncertainty of the other hit a nerve.

"How long have you been Spider-Man?" Harry asked, his voice dropped to a whisper at the vigilante's name.

"Three years," Peter said. 

"Three years?" Harry repeated. "How did you --"

"My turn," Peter interrupted, with a small smirk. "How long were you the Goblin?"

Harry stopped to count on his fingers. "Nine months," he said, before nodding, agreeing with his math. "From end of July to ... _that night_."

"What do you mean --"

" _My turn_ ," Harry grinned. He knew eventually they will let each other ask a follow-up question, but he might as well tease Peter now. "How did you get the powers?"

"A radioactive spider," Peter said nonchalantly. "I know that sounds so fucking weird but --"

"Was it at Oscorp?"

"Uh, yeah," Peter said, a little surprised that Harry knew.

"Holy shit," Harry said under his breath, remembering reading the arachnid archive files. "Technically it was just genetically modified. It wasn't supposed to be for trial yet. Oscorp doesn't deal with radiation or nuclear power."

"What?"

"Yeah, I know a lot of people think we work with energy, but we're honest-to-God just a biomedical --"

"No, what do you mean it wasn't ready for trial?" Peter asked. "When I was bitten, you weren't even in New York. How did you know about the project?"

"I ... read about it in the files," Harry admitted sheepishly. "I didn't want to tell you about it. We try to keep Oscorp's name clean as a lot of people really hate to hear about animal testing, even if it's lab rats."

"So there were rat trials?"

"No, we couldn't get that far," Harry said. "The entire project was trashed. Someone had damaged the ... research ..." It clicked in Harry's head as he watched Peter's eyes widen. "Oh shit."

"I damaged the research," Peter whispered. "I mean, I didn't mean to -- it was an accident. I mean, I knew I wasn't supposed to be there but then there was this button and my hip just happened to bump into it and then everything fucked up and --"

"Don't stress about it," Harry interrupted, knowing if he didn't Peter was going to go on all night. "It's not like it was a huge loss."

"Was it?"

Harry hesitated, knowing they're literally trying to come clean from their lies. "Yeah," He mumbled. "A half-million-dollar project and a couple of scientists."

"They died?"

"Fired."

"Oh." Peter didn't realize he left that much of an effect at Oscorp. To be fair, he didn't realize he had any affect on the projects at Oscorp.

"What's the costume made out of?" Harry asked, quickly changing the subject.

"Uh," Peter reached for his bag and unzipped it. He reached into the hidden seam, pulling out the mask and tossing it to Harry. "Spandex and nylon. It's practically a wetsuit."

Harry held the mask in his hand, staring at the mirrored lenses. He carefully ran his thumb over the material, remembering the last time he held the mask in his hand. The Goblin had pulled it off of Spider-Man, revealing Peter's bloodied face. Harry took off the Goblin's helmet and pulled Peter in, right as he passed out. "I'm sorry."

"What?"

"I'm sorry for hurting you."

"Hare, I said I don't --"

"Not just for that night," Harry said softly. "I mean for everything. For not contacting you this summer. For leaving you in the dark. Especially for _that night_ \--"

"Hey," Peter scooted closer to Harry, pulling him into his arms. He could feel Harry tense in his grip. Peter started to back out of the hug before he felt Harry relax and slowly lean into his touch. "You're here now. That's all that matters to me." He wanted to kiss Harry, press his lips ever-so-gently against his forehead to let him know everything was okay. But ... he couldn't do that just yet. They were still covering ground. He leaned his head gently against Harry's, before shooting off the next question. "What did you mean end of July? I didn't see you until the first day of school."

"Since I was going to enroll at Midtown, I wasn't going to go back to California for the summer program. I stayed with Nonna a bit longer than usual and came back to work at Oscorp," Harry explained. "We didn't start administering the ... serum until two weeks later. Our first trial flight was after the first day."

"Serum?" 

"My medicine," Harry said softly. 

Peter wrinkled his brow, remembering the lies Harry told about his illness, his muscle disorder. At first, he told Peter that he was allergic to shellfish to explain his extreme pain and sudden vomiting at 3 in the morning. Then, Harry told Peter he was dying -- _in Italian._ Peter was pissed, until he realized that Harry wasn't lying and that his muscle tissue was slowly deterioration. Harry's mom died from the disorder. Harry had looked honestly scared of his future. But Peter remembers Harry prideful of the newest medicine they had switched to. That he was getting better and that he wasn't in pain anymore. How ... much was it true? Peter could feel himself burning up as he tried to figure out where to pin point his frustration. He leaned off of Harry and brought his knees to his chest. "Were ... were you actually sick?"

Harry opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Peter's question stung. The strong silence followed by his uncertain tone hurt. But they promised not to let it bother them. "Yeah," He said softly. "I still am. The original serum was the experimental drug to help find a permanent one."

"Did you?"

"No."

"But you still have the latest one, right?" Peter asked, he reached out and gently took Harry's hand in his. He intertwined their fingers and gave a soft squeeze. It took Harry a moment to adjust to the touch, but he gave a gentle, almost-non existent, squeeze back. "You said at prom that you thought you guys had found the one."

Harry stayed silent, focused on their hands. It was a while before he spoke up again. "What's with the webs?"

"Oh ... it's my own formula," Peter said as he reached for his bag with his free hand. He dug around the front pocket before pulling a web shooter out. "It's a chemical mixture but it's mainly nitrogen and liquid nylon, plus some other stuff. I mean, I can bring my notes on it."

Peter looked at Harry with a small smile before letting go of his hand and slipped the web shooter around Harry's wrist. He let his fingers linger around Harry's wrist, slowly bringing his fingers down Harry's forearm, stopping midway down. "You can try it out, if you want," Peter said, moving his hand away. He pointed to the door for Harry to aim at. He then demonstrated the hand motion, extending his pointer and pinky finger. "Press the trigger with your middle and ring finger. You don't need to press hard, it's pretty sensitive."

"Uh ..." Harry sort of stared at Peter for a moment, recollecting his thoughts. He was still in shock that a web shooter, which didn't exist up until a minute ago, was around his wrist. Plus, he was a little love-drunk off of Peter's lingering touch. "Wait. Why do you extend your fingers. Wouldn't it feel more natural to just close your hand into a fist?"

Without letting Peter answer his question, Harry tried the web shooter, following Peter's instructions. He pressed it quickly, a little startled at the soft hissing noise it made as a web quickly shot out of the nozzle and stuck to the door. As soon as his fingers were off the trigger, the shooter stopped spraying. Peter quickly and precisely caught the web before it fell to the ground.

"That's why," Peter smirked, as he brought the web to Harry. "It's easier to grab with your fingers extended. The cartridge is pressurized to 300 pounds per square inch, so you gotta be quick."

Harry took the web in his hand, rubbing it between his fingers. "God, I thought it was organic," he mumbled. He and the rest of the Oscorp team working on Project Green were waiting for Harry to develop some sort of web-shooting abilities after they started the final treatment, with the addition of Spider-Man's genetics -- _Peter's blood_. Oh god. There was no way that Harry was going to tell Peter that the best treatment they had for his disorder was Peter's enhanced DNA. He doesn't need to drag Peter into this. He doesn't need his boyfriend to be experimented on at Oscorp. His boyfriend was not a guinea pig. His boyfriend? "Are we -- Can I -- _What are we_?"

Peter didn't need an explanation for Harry's question. He knew exactly what he was trying to ask. "It's my turn." Harry bit the inside of his cheek, attempting to hide his disappointment of Peter avoiding the question, and nodded. "Will you be my boyfriend? Again? ... Still?"

Harry grinned. "I'm glad you're still a dick," He bumped his shoulder into Peter's. He extended his hand out for Peter to hold, letting the web fall away. He wanted to kiss Peter, but he knew that they were going to have to baby step their way back into the relationship.

"I'm glad ... that you enjoy that?" Peter laughed reaching his hand out to Harry's, but stopping before fully grabbing his hand. "You might want to take that off first. It's not made for hand holding, unless you want webs shooting everywhere."

"I figured you'd be into it," Harry smirked as he unfastened the web shooter and handed it back to Peter. "I just figured the webhead was into kinky shit."

"I mean, I wouldn't knock it."

"Fucking creep," Harry laughed, leaning into Peter. Peter tangled his fingers with Harry's. Peter brought their hands up to his lips, gently pressing a kiss against Harry's hand.

"I missed your laugh."

"I missed having a reason to laugh," Harry gently ran his thumb over Peter's as Peter brought his hand back to his lips for another kiss. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too," Peter mumbled against Harry's skin. "Can I admit something?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm surprised you were going to have a roommate," Peter said. "You don't seem like the type of person to want to share a dorm room."

"Really?" Harry laughed. "I've had a roommate at my private schools. They didn't allow single rooms." To be fair, Harry favored Carman Hall because of the bathroom situations. He'd rather share a bathroom between two rooms than an entire floor. He didn't expect to be in one of the only rooms on the floor with an unshared bathroom, then luck out for his roommate to drop out. If he and Peter didn't make up, he was probably going to go on a search for a new roommate to avoid loneliness. "I'd honestly be more surprised to hear if you're sharing a room, Mr. Only Child."

"You're an only child too, dumb ass," Peter laughed. "I'm actually not sharing a room. I'm in Hartley. I have suitemates and so far its been ... awkward. I mean, there's only four of us, we lucked out on one of the smaller suites, but it's still ...strange."

"You're welcome to stay here whenever," Harry said softly. "But you really should get to know them."

"I'll try, but I have a _little thing_ that might get in the way of making new friends." The suite had already decided on a movie night on Friday night to celebrate the end of the first week ... but Peter knows that crime tends to be higher on weekends.

Harry looked at Peter. He pressed his lips together as he nodded gently. "You're -- uh -- still going to do this?"

"I can't stop being --" Peter stopped short of Spider-Man, as it seemed like they were going to dance around the name. "There's so much going on in New York that needs my help. I can't just, not."

"I mean, you could," Harry softly said, with a smirk. He glanced at Peter again, speaking up before Peter said anything. "I said last year that I'd support you if you joined the police force, and ... I need to stand by that." He sighed softly, closing his eyes as he leaned his head against Peter's shoulder. "I mean, I feel like I should be more worried about if you were a cop since that's a full eight to ten hour shift of danger, but I've watched _you_ go head onto dangerous situations. Pete, that's a little terrifying. Like, what if you get seriously hurt again?"

"I heal quickly," Peter said. "I mean, the gunshot wound from earlier today is already healed, the Band-Aid is just for moral support, and it doesn't look like it's going to scar."

Harry nodded gently until Peter's words set in. He sat up quickly. "You were shot at --?" He almost yelled, but Peter quickly covered his mouth with his hand. 

"You're going to scare your non-New York neighbors." Peter moved his hand away. He rolled his sleeve up, pulling off the bandage Harry gave up earlier today. The graze was originally about two inches long, but only about a half inch in the center was still red and healing. The rest had faded from a light pink to an almost natural skin tone. Peter knew tomorrow it would be completely healed over.

Harry hovered his hand over the wound, knowing very well he really shouldn't touch it or the area around it. He dropped his hand. "Can we get you in a suit of armor or something?" He half-joked. "I really want to have my boyfriend in one piece at the end of the night."

"I've made it this far," Peter grinned. "I've dealt with worse." Peter's always been lucky enough to move out of the way for most bullets, and if he was hit, it was only a graze. His Spider-sense was usually good about warning him fast enough. The few times the bullets have actually hit him were usually because his senses were overloaded ... or he was trying to make a good quip during a fight that involved guns. He needs to cut down on those. "I'll try my best."

Harry studied Peter and smiled gently. He knew Peter meant it, but knew it was going to be hard to keep. He knew that there were going to be countless of bad guys after Spider-Man, and none of them are going to think twice about whether Spider-Man leaves alive. They're going to do in their best interest. Spider-Man could get killed trying to save New York City. _Peter_ could get killed on any night he's on patrol. Harry looked at the man that he's in love with, knowing that things can't go back to the way they were. They weren't going to.

And maybe he should be glad. There's no more secrets between them, everything's out in the open. Harry can help Peter, comfort Peter after bad nights. But the fear for Peter's safety has greatly increased. It's no longer the fear that Spider-Man is going to bring trouble around Peter. Peter is actively searching for the trouble as Spider-Man. And as terrified as Harry truly is, he's going to hide it. He can't let Peter know, because there's nothing to do to fix it. They could split up, but Harry would still be in love with Peter and would still worry for him.

"It's no longer you and me, is it?" Harry asked quietly. " _They're_ going to be apart of _us_. We can't go back to just us."

"I don't think we can," Peter said. "I wish we could. But I don't think we can. It's gonna be you, me, Spider-Man and the Goblin --"

"No Goblin."

"No Goblin?" 

"No Goblin," Harry said, bringing Peter's hand up to his lips for a gentle kiss, his lips barely touching Peter's skin, before letting go of his hand and slipping off the bed. He took his empty paper cup and threw it in the trash. He grabbed a water bottle from the mini fridge and leaned against his desk. "Never again."

Peter slipped off the bed to comfort Harry. He wrapped his arms around Harry's waist and pressed a gentle kiss against his cheek. "Everything will be okay."

Harry nodded gently. "I think I'm going to head to bed soon. Do you want me to walk you back to your dorm?"

"No, I can make it," Peter smirked, he pressed another gentle kiss against Harry's cheek before slowly letting go of Harry to pick up his stuff, shoving his mask back into his bag. "You should get your sleep. We have an 9 am tomorrow."

"I have an 8 am, too," Harry groaned as he let Peter to the door. "University writing."

"That sucks," Peter grinned. "Mine's at 10."

"You don't have to brag," Harry laughed as he opened the door. "Catch you for lunch or something?"

"Yeah, we can try that," Peter grinned. He studied Harry for a moment, quickly trying to decide how quickly they should fall back into place for build a healthy relationship again, but he really can't help it. He leans into Harry, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. "We can talk about our schedules tomorrow. Get some sleep."

"Y-yeah," Harry grinned, a little surprise at the kiss. He didn't know how long it was going to be until he would allow himself to kiss Peter, but _Peter can kiss him_ as much as he wants. He smiled as he watched Peter make his way down the hall and to the elevator. "Good night."

"Good night!" Peter called.

"God, I wish I could do that," a voice sighed. Harry glanced to his neighbor, who was fidgeting his key into the lock. "Three days on campus and already dating somebody? That's life goals there."

"To be fair, he came with me," Harry said, pointing in the general direction of the elevator. Peter was long gone from the 11th floor now.

His neighbor sighed louder. "That's _real goals_ there. I can hardly get a single phone number out of anyone that I like. Let alone bring them back to the room and sleep with them."

"That's not what I -- you know, never mind," Harry sighed as he went back to his room and shut the door. He sighed again. He was exhausted. He wasn't sure if it was because of his classes, or his conversation with Peter. Either way, he's glad he's here. He's glad that he's back together with Peter. He's glad he's got his life together. Mostly.

He opened his desk drawer and pulled out a pill bottle. He hesitated, rolled the pill bottle back and forth in his hand, as if he was reading the label. He slipped out a single white pill and grabbed his water bottle off the desk. He put the pill between his lips and took a drink of water before slipping the pill bottle back into his desk drawer and got ready for bed. 


	3. 'Oh my god, Harry. Where are you?'

Aunt May told him everything was going to be okay.

She pulled him in for a hug and said that there was nothing he could've done to prevented it, but he did his best to help. And for that, she was proud of him.

But Harry knew that wasn't true. He fell into her embrace because he needed comfort. He needed to be forgiven. He needed the certainty that Peter was going to be alright.

The Goblin beat Spider-Man until he passed out. _Harry beat Peter_ until he passed out. 

Harry carried him home.

He stripped him of the suit and dressed his wounds using the Parker's first aid kit. He used a wet washcloth to wipe away the drying blood on his face. He looked at the bruises on Peter's body knowing he caused those. He couldn't imagine himself ever touching Peter's skin again without thinking of those bruises. Harry didn't want to be here anymore. He was the villain in Peter's story while he was trying to be the hero in his own. Harry took off his suit, trying to pull apart his identity from the Green Goblin. That wasn't him. Not anymore.

He sat in Peter's computer chair, watching Peter's chest slightly move with every breath. He sat there, waiting until he heard Aunt May come in through the door.

"Peter?" She called.

Harry froze. He had told himself what he was going to do in his head once May returned from her shift at the hospital, but now that he had to execute his lies, he almost couldn't do it. It took him a moment before he got off of the chair and rushed out of Peter's bedroom and down the stairs. "May?"

"Harry, I didn't expect you to be here." It took less than have a second for May to switch gears from slightly surprised to concern. She could read the grief on Harry's face. "Is something wrong?"

"I -- It's Peter," He said. "I found him while -- He was -- Someone beat him up." He wiped the tears that were running down his cheeks. "I -- He was k-knocked out. H-he did wake up for a bit about thirty minutes a-ago."

"Let's -- Let's go check on him," May said softly. She was worried, but she kept her tone evenly as possible knowing that Harry was afraid. She knew Peter. She knew he got into a lot of fights, but she knew he was tough. When she got to his room, she understood Harry's fear. Peter's face was swollen and bruised. She checked his vitals and breathing, hearing him snore calmed most of her worries. "You said he woke up?"

"Y-yeah," Harry said, hardly looking at Peter. "Just for a couple of minutes before laying back down."

"Did he say anything?"

"That he was in pain," Harry said. "I helped him take an Advil -- I didn't want him taking any more than just one." (Harry also remembers Peter trying to focus on him, asking him a final question before leaning back on the pillow and falling asleep. "Is this a dream or was that a nightmare?" "I'm not sure anymore.")

May nodded. "He's going to be okay. Everything will be okay, Harry."

May told him to get some rest. That he can sleep on the couch. And at first, he planned to. Some part of him reassured that it would be okay for him to stay and be beside Peter when he wakes in the morning. But as soon as May went to bed, Harry left the house.

He snuck inside Oscorp and quickly grabbed a dufflebag, throwing basic clothing items into it. He tossed his laptop and chargers into the bag. He grabbed his passport off his dresser, glancing at the book Peter got him for Christmas. He knew that he hadn't had time to read it with classes, but he needed something to calm his nerves. He took the book, slipping it into the bag before rushing out of his room. He grabbed the pill bottle off the counter, almost completely full of the new serum. He hesitated before throwing it into the bag, unsure what would happen if he tried to quit it cold turkey. As soon as the bag was zipped up, he rushed out and into the Uber he had called. 

"You seem to be in a rush," The driver asked him. "Running late or away?"

"Something like that," Harry said, glancing out the window as they pulled away from Oscorp. 

\-----

It took a week before Harry arrived in Italy. He stayed the first few days in London. He avoided hotels, knowing his dad could track his credit card. He flipped between local bed-and-breakfast homes that took cash and airbnb rooms, knowing that the charges wouldn't appear until later. He spent most of his time walking on the streets, trying to keep active and his mind focus on his surroundings ... and not his phone buzzing in his pocket.

He had troubles ignoring it when he arrived in London. His dad kept calling him, making it almost impossible to do anything on his phone (he had to reserve the Airbnb eventually). He'd bring his phone out of his pocket, watching Norman's face appear on his screen before disappearing and a miss call notification replaced his mug. He couldn't answer his dad's call. He'd let him know that something went very wrong on the Goblin's mission. And Harry knew, if he answered the phone, he'd cry. He'd cry and Norman would find out Peter's secret identity. He couldn't let that happen. He had to protect Peter.

He was about to put his phone back into his pocket before it buzzed again.

Monday 12:15

_P: I will always love you._

Harry's heart stopped in the middle of West London. Half of him wondered on the flight if Peter saw his face before he blacked out. Of course he did. This proved it.

Harry couldn't comprehend how Peter could still love him after what he did, after what he put Peter through. He couldn't imagine how Peter could wake up, _in pain,_ and still love him. Harry locked his phone and put it in his pocket. He couldn't allow himself to hurt Peter again.

The next day, his phone went off again with a message from Peter.

Tuesday 18:03

_P: We should talk sometime. Coffee tomorrow?_

He stopped on the sidewalk in the heart of the city, as he contemplated texting back. He knew he should. He knew he should let Peter know he's not in New York City anymore. That he's not in the country anymore. That he's ... not sure if he's coming back. He locked his phone and put it away, instantly feeling it buzz again -- A call from his dad. He left his phone alone, knowing that the call will eventually go away.

Wednesday 2:32

_P: Hey_

Wednesday 13:48

_P: Can we talk?_

_P: Today?_

Harry turned off his read receipts. He turned off his phone. He shoved the phone into his dufflebag and set it down so it could go through screening. He hoped that having his head in the clouds could get his mind off of his mistakes and off of Peter. And if not, maybe Madrid could. 

Harry had reserved an entire apartment for a week. He didn't know Madrid well, and he knew he was going to get lost. He didn't mind having a single point of return. The only problem would be if his dad discovered he was using Airbnb and discovered his location. Maybe he'll just stay here until Saturday. 

It wasn't until Harry woke up from another nightmare before he turned his phone back on for good. Usually he was able to fall back asleep, but this time was different. This dream was way too vivid. He could feel his fist against Peter's cheek, and he couldn't stop himself. He opened the window for the cool breeze and glanced at Peter's unread messages.

Wednesday 20:23

_P: Hey_

Wednesday 23:01

_P: I really want to talk sometime_

Thursday 01:12

_P: Can you please just ... answer me??_

Thursday 04:59

_P: I'm sorry_

Harry locked his phone. He didn't know what he would say to Peter. "I'm sorry for beating you up?" "I'm sorry for taking blood samples from Spider-Man?" "I'm sorry I haven't been truthful?" Harry sighed and got out of bed. He threw on a sweater and slipped on some pants. He wasn't going to fall back asleep. He might as well explore the city. He's got a lot of ground to cover and plenty of time to do so.

Before he left the apartment, he spied his pill bottle on the counter. He knew he had to take one soon. He might as well take one now. He slipped the small green pill between his lips and was ready to swallow it down with water. 

Until he thought about it. Until he remembered Peter. Something about this felt _wrong_. He knew he needed the pill to feel better, but once he ran out ... are they going to go back after Spider-Man for more serum? Harry can't be so reliant on the serum. Not anymore. He pulled the pill out of his mouth and dropped it into the drain.

Harry set an alarm on his phone, knowing when the first symptoms should hit. He knew he had to be back to the apartment before they hit, in case he had opened the flood gates for pain. Then, he can decide how much he really needs the serum. Maybe he should pick up some pain killers while he's out, too. Just in case.

\-----

Saturday arrived and Harry needed to find another apartment to crash at. He really needed to figure out what he was doing with his life, where he was going. He couldn't think about the future. His heart was too heavy. He wanted to go home. He wanted everything to go back to the way it was. But he knew he couldn't.

But he could go to somewhere that felt like home.

He packed his bag and left the apartment. Left Madrid. Boarded on a plane and to Italy.

He spent a couple of hours roaming Rome before catching the train to Naples. He spent the night in Naples before finding his way to his Nonna's house. She greeted him with a big hug, curious about why he arrived so early. She wasn't expecting him until June. She had thought he was still in class. He finally broke down. It's been a full week and Harry hasn't been able to confide to anybody how he has been feeling. He tried to explain everything ... while leaving everything out. He mainly boiled it down to a bad break-up, and he couldn't find himself to go back.

Nonna Lyman pulled Harry into a hug, comforting him as best as she could. As soon as he stopped sobbing, Nonna suggested that while she fixed them lunch, he should call Norman to let him know that he's safe. Nonna knew how Harry communicates with his father, and that Harry probably didn't tell him that he the country, let alone the city.

Harry nodded and made the dreadful call outside.

"Harry?"

"Hey dad."

"Oh my god, Harry. Where are you?"

"Campania," Harry said softly. "I just got to Nonna's."

"Did you take a boat there?" His sarcasm dripped into frustration. Harry understood why, he should've let his dad known he was safe sooner, or at least, sooner than he did.

"N-no. I ... stopped in London first. Then Madrid."

Norman sighed loudly. He sounded exhausted, but also relieved. "What's going on?"

"I --," Harry looked over his shoulder, knowing Nonna was busy fixing lunch. He knew he could confide in Norman about Spider-Man's true identity, but he knew to protect Peter that he couldn't. Oscorp had plans for super soldiers tucked away and Harry wasn't going to be the one to put Peter in danger. Not again. "P-Peter and I broke u-up." He could feel his eyes water up again. He wiped his face.

"Oh, Harry. I'm sorry," Norman said softly, before returning to his normal stern tone. "But you know that's no reason to up and leave."

"I know but -- I just couldn't stay." At least, that was the truth.

"Everything will be okay," Norman comforted. "I'll send a car for you in the morning."

"What?"

"You'll need to get to the airport somehow."

"What? No."

"No?"

"Dad, I can't --"

"You have school, Harry," Norman said. "Columbia is just around the corner. You need --"

"What if I don't want to go anymore?"

"To Columbia?"

"Back to New York," Harry said softly. 

"You'll miss the city," Norman said. "You'll miss Peter --"

"Dad, I can't," Harry repeated. "I c-can't. I ... I hurt him. I don't think I can ever face him again."

There was a long silence. Maybe it was disapproval. Maybe it was disappointment. Maybe it was blame. Norman created the serum for Harry's muscle disorder. He knew the side effects could include aggression, but how could Norman not see it build in Harry?

"I'll get your homework for this past week sent to you," Norman said sternly. "I will talk to the administration, and see if you can finish your last few weeks online. But I really want you to come back for college, Harry. Whether it's to Columbia or ESU or Johns Hopkins or Stanford or wherever. I'd like for you to come back."

Harry nodded gently, before remembering this was a phone call. "Thank you."

"You should also talk to Peter, he's concerned about you," Norman said. "Tell him about the side effects of the ... medicine. Explain to him that it wasn't --"

"But what if that was me?" Harry said softly. "What if that's who I am?"

"It's not," Norman said. "You're allowed to make mistakes, Harry."

Harry could feel himself let go. He's never heard his father tell him he could make mistakes. He always had a standard for Harry to meet and Harry felt like he could never meet it. Harry could feel all his past mistakes, all of his emotional scars, every feeling his he has ever hid from his dad escape from his body as tears roll down his cheeks.

\-----

Soon, Harry fell into a schedule in Italy. He did most of his school work from Nonna's house, except on Wednesdays.

Wednesday were the days that he had to go into Rome for his weekly check-up at Sapienza. One of the university's medical researchers there also works for Oscorp and agreed to help Norman and monitor Harry's vitals. Although she was blind to the project, the researcher would check Harry's serum level and report back to Norman. Harry would split his homework (which he dubbed as his "roam-work" because he's a huge ass nerd) between the train ride to Rome and on campus. Half of him wanted to ask Norman if he could attend university at Sapienza, but he wasn't sure if he could even keep up with his courses if they were taught in Italian, no matter how much of the language he knew.

Harry also fell into a schedule with his serum. He knew if he took it Tuesday night, he would have enough in his system to fool the researcher as his body would show average levels of the serum. She would relay the information back to Norman, who then would have no reason to believe that Harry was cutting himself off of the serum. 

At first, Harry tried every other day. Then he tried dropping to twice a week and ended up in the hospital. He didn't want to go, he knew he would've been fine, but he scared his second-cousin and Luca took him in. Harry was just glad he was at Luca's house and not at his Nonna's house. He'd hate for her to know that he had the same disorder that killed his mom and his Poppa. He can't put Nonna through that. Harry tried to explain his situation as best as he could to the doctor, who then provided him with prescriptions of oxycodone and ondansetron, and an inhaler, which made his drop to once a week much easier. 

They also made forgetting Peter easier, or at least, possible.

Some nights was easier than others.

Laying in bed, focusing on how numb he felt. Numb to his pain. Numb to the world. 

Some nights all he could think about was Peter's face, bloodied and bruised, exposed to the cold evening air. His brown eyes sadly looking back at the unmasked Goblin -- at Harry -- as they uncovered the truth. Harry knew for a fact that Peter blacked out, but his altered-memory focuses on the pain and fear in Peter's eyes. Time just stops. Harry can't move and Peter doesn't. It feels like forever before Peter closes his eyes, and when he does, Harry can finally go to sleep.

The nights when he remembers Peter's smile are his better nights. The nights when he remembers his laugh are his best. On those nights, he'll flip through his saved photos and videos. Anything that can help keep those memories of Peter alive and to the front of his mind, the better. These were the nights when his muscles ached the worst. He knew that it would go away if he took an oxycodone. But it would all go away. Memories of Peter would fade away. And who knows when Harry would see Peter's smile again. Sometimes, taking an ondasetron for the nausea and taking an aspirin (or four) for the pain would be enough. Keeping the memories of Peter was worth tolerating the pain.

"Harry."

Harry zoned back in, realizing he has been staring at Peter eating his pizza. Harry had barely touched his hamburger. "Huh?"

"I said do you want to study in the library this afternoon?" Peter reached over and stole one of Harry's fries. "Like around four?"

"Can we study after supper?" Harry said, finally taking a bite of his burger. "I'm trying to fall back into a schedule at Oscorp."

"Oh," Peter said softly. "I didn't realize you were still planning on working at Oscorp."

"Yeah," Harry nodded. "Just a research assistant, promise."

Peter opened his mouth to ask about Harry's previous intern experience at Oscorp, realizing that it wasn't appropriate to ask in the dining hall. "I -- uh -- need to go for _a run_ tonight." He put a stress on run, trying to convey his message to Harry without having to spell out Spider-Man patrol. "I'm usually out about that time, I can push it back."

Harry's jaw clenched at the idea, but he nodded anyway. "Can't go earlier?" He shoved more of his hamburger in his mouth to avoid complaining.

"The city's more active at night," Peter sighed as he reached for another fry. "Running is better at night."

"I'll see if I can get out of Oscorp early."

"No, don't worry about it," Peter said. "I'll probably be out for a ... _jog_ before then."

"God, you get a lot of exercise," Harry half-joked. "I'll text you when I leave Oscorp then? It's like a fifteen minute drive."

"We can do that," Peter nodded. "I can meet you at the library then."

"Okay, sweet," Harry grinned as he took another bite of his hamburger. "What are we studying for again?"

"Oh my god."


	4. 'Don't you have citizens to save?'

Peter knew he needed a new bookbag.

This one had surprisingly lasted him a full year, but it looks like he hasn't had a new bag since junior high. The thick fabric slumped sadly, tired from being tossed around and stuck to fire escapes in random alleyways. Some edges tore at the weight of Peter's books, but luckily, he now only cares two or three at a time, and they only travel from dorm room to class room and back. 

He was a little attached to his bag. It was a cool color. Like a reflective crimson. It had a lot of side pockets and a protective slot for a laptop. It was much bigger than what it looked, which made it much easier to hide his suit without making his bag look bulky. It did get a little tight with an actual laptop in the bag, but if Peter knew a patrol was possible, he tried to leave his laptop at home.

Except Peter told Harry that they were going to meet up at the library to study and the study guide for the quiz was online and the dorm's printers was already out of ink. Peter tried every floor. He even asked his suitemates about their printers, to which they said they haven't set up yet. He wasn't sure if Harry would remember to print it out or if they would get lucky enough to get access to a computer at the library. He might as well bring his own.

Peter wasn't worried about his bag ripping, although that was always a possible thought in the back of his mind. His main focus has been trying to figure out if there's a better way of sneaking back into the dorm after a patrol. He knew sneaking through the window was always an option, but it was more feasible when it's dark outside. He'd also have to explain to his suitemates how he snuck in without them noticing. He'll have to think about that along the way. Right now, the sun barely sets at 8 p.m. He'll have to wait until late October before he could sneak in through the window. But for now, he'll have to find a nice alleyway to change.

"Hey Peter! Where you off to?" One of his suitemates called from the kitchen. Peter peaked his head around the corner to notice his suitemate digging through the fridge. "Late lunch?" said Jason ... Justin? He actually wasn't sure.

"Off to the Daily Bugle," Peter said, lifting his camera up. "I'm a staff photographer."

"Oh okay," said Justin ... Jared? Either way, he closed the refrigerator door and leaned against the counter. He had a cool stature, as if his body language read as if he almost couldn't care less. But there was something about his soft smile that said differently. Jared ... Joelbrushed a few locks of blonde hair out of his eyes. "I was gonna see if you wanted to grab a bite to eat. We don't have a lot of snacks yet."

"I would, but I told the editorial I'd have the photos by 5," Peter said. "The dining hall wasn't too bad today. You should try there."

"Yeah, I'll do that," Joel ... Jacob said, shifting his weight. "Hey, you're a science major, right? Can you help me with some gen ed. biology homework tonight?"

Peter adjusted the strap on his book bag. "I would, but --" He had to go fight crime, just normal teenage New York City stuff. "-- I have a quiz in Organic Chemistry tomorrow, and I promised my boyfriend that I'd help him study." 

"Oh shit," Jacob's ... Jamie's eyes widened. "I wasn't -- I didn't mean to -- I mean, I kind of was trying but -- I mean. That's cool that you got a boyfriend."

"Thanks," Peter half-laughed. "I mean, I didn't really realize I had a boyfriend until yesterday --" He stopped, realizing how weird that sounded. "I mean, we were dating before -- in high school. But then ... summer ... happened and it just --"

"Got complicated?" Jamie ... Jeremy sighed. "I get that. Anyway, you needed to head off?"

"OH! Yeah," Peter said, fixing the straps on his backpack again. "See you later ... Jere ... Jay ..."

"Johnny."

"Johnny," Peter nodded. He started out the door.

"Hey, your bag is ripping," Johnny said. "At the bottom. It looks like the blue lining is falling out of it."

Peter took off his bag and sighed. It was official: He absolutely needed a new bag. He went to his room to find safety pins, to keep the bag together before heading out again.

\-----

Peter set alarms on his phone so he wouldn't be late. He needed to head back to campus about 5:30, assuming Harry had normal work hours today. He needed to swing by the Bugle with _something_ by 5. He had some Spider-Man photos saved from this weekend that he can give to J. Jonah Jameson, but he knew Jameson wanted fresh photos. But today was going so slow, he wasn't sure if he would have anything other than Spider-Man swinging up and down the same street.

Peter sighed, sitting on the edge of a building, as he flipped through the photos. He knew what Jameson was going to say, and he wasn't sure if he was going to get anything in today. He set his camera down, angling it slightly downward and secured it with web. He slipped his mask over his face, ready to go back on patrol.

Without missing a beat, Spider-Man jumps from the ledge, quickly casting a web to a nearby building and started to swing downtown. He wanted to stay close to this area of Manhattan, so he didn't have to travel too far to the Bugle and back to campus, but he knew all of New York needed his help, not just Midtown. Maybe he'll swing by Upper Manhattan tonight. The faint sound of radio static from the police scanner app, took Peter's attention. He mindlessly continued to swing as he tried to focus on the report.

"-- auto theft in progress ... two men, dressed in black ... car make and model, Mercedes-Benz --"

A familiar flash of dark green down Tenth Avenue set off Peter's spider-sense. Peter quickly pivoted, changing courses to Tenth Avenue.

He knew it shouldn't be anything. All summer long, he's been seeing these glimpses of green in between skyscrapers and down alleyways. He'd try to chase them, in hopes to find Goblin ... to find Harry, but it almost seemed as soon as he saw the emerald color, it vanished. Peter had thought it had been a part of his imagination, trying to fill the void in his heavy heart, but the glimpses always felt real. Peter doesn't know why he's still trying to chase this mirage, especially when he knows he'll see Harry in a few hours. It just ... felt too real. It felt necessary. 

His spider-sense pulled him east. Spider-Man turned east on 45th Street.

Suddenly, Peter realized it wasn't a "go this way" sense.

He let go of his web, barely missing an orange orb that flew by his head. He quickly casted another web, trying to find momentum to swing to a south building, finding a way to pull out of his hallucination. He tried to focus on the Goblin, waiting for him to go away. A loud explosion echoed behind him. His heart dropped. This wasn't his imagination. This was real.

_This was real._

"Don't you have citizens to save?" The Goblin teased. 

Peter froze, focusing on the Green Goblin in front of him. This wasn't ... Harry, was it? No. Harry said no more. But why is the Goblin here?

No. Shit. Wait.

The Goblin was right. Peter's spider-sense was going off behind him. Screams filled the air.

"We -- We're gonna have to talk about this later," Spider-Man said, trying to find his confidence as he quickly turned to head to the building. He kept some attention at the Goblin, making sure that he wasn't going to attack him with his back turned, but he realized the Goblin was using the explosion as a cover to get away safely. If Peter knew that people wouldn't be in danger if he left the building alone, he'd chase after the Goblin out of pure spite ... but Spider-Man's job was to keep New York safe, and an apartment complex collapsing isn't safe.

\-----

Peter sighed as he stood on an adjacent rooftop, watching as firefighters and paramedics responded to the smoking building. The structures were secured. Occupants were evacuated. And, surprisingly, nobody was hurt. 

The Goblin got away.

Or the copycat Goblin?

Peter wasn't sure. It looked like the Goblin. It sounded the Goblin, but he knew the Goblin was put into retirement. Or at least, that's what Harry said. Would Harry lie to him? After all they've talked about yesterday? Peter felt anger wash over him at the thought of Harry suiting up as the Goblin again, at the thought of Harry lying to him. The Goblin put innocent lives in danger and for what? To get Spider-Man distracted so he could leave him alone? Peter hoped to God that it wasn't Harry behind that mask. He's not sure if he could forgive Harry for putting others at risk.

But Harry had seemed so distraught at the idea that the Goblin would be a part of their relationship. He was uncomfortable at the idea of Spider-Man sticking around, but as soon as Peter mentioned the Goblin staying, Harry changed tones completely. Harry sounded like he regretted being the Goblin, but Peter couldn't tell if that was just because of _that night_ , or if he regrets the Goblin in general.

As his senses started to calm, Peter realized the constant buzzing against his hip wasn't his spider-sense going haywire. His phone was vibrating wildly. He pulled it out and muted his alarms.

He had several missed texts from Harry.

16:51

_H: I'm heading out in 10. Just waiting for the printer to finish._

17:06

_H: Someone just mentioned an explosion in Hell's Kitchen, it might affect traffic_

_H: I'll probably be a little late_

17:07

_H: wait_

_H: are you there?_

17:10

_H: Peter_

17:14

_H: Pete_

17:19

_H: Peter._

Peter felt bad for thinking that the Goblin could've been Harry. First full day back in a relationship and Peter is already giving Harry anxiety. He quickly shot a text back.

17:25

_P: I'm okay_

_H: Thank God_

_H: I thought you were there_

_P: I was_

_P: Everything's okay now_

_P: I_ _promise_

_H: fuck_

_H: okay._

Peter waited a few moments for Harry to text back. Maybe he should start to head back to campus. Harry's probably already waiting for him. He slipped his phone into his pocket and took a whiff of his suit. He reeked of smoke and sweat. He'd need to shower first if they were going to the library. He casted a web and started to swing back to his camera, hoping he caught something. Fuck, he's late for the Bugle. He'd need to call them to see if they want any of the photos he got, if he got any photos. If anything, they could make it for second edition. As soon as he landed back on the building, he felt his phone buzz again.

17:32

_H: Okay, I'm leaving now_

_H: Do you want me to pick you up?_

_P: No, I'm okay. I'll meet you there_

_P: I need to shower first._

_H: Okay_

_H: Do you want to grab supper after studying?_

_H: I'm not very hungry right now._

_P: Yeah that sounds good._

As soon as Peter got back to the dorm, he hung up his suit in the closet, hoping to mask the smoke smell, and tossed his bag in his bedroom before grabbing his towel before beelining to the shower. He tried to take a quick shower, but he swore he could still smell smoke. He finally gave up after the third lather before rinsing off. He wrapped the towel around him and hurried back to his room, bumping into Johnny as he left his room.

"I thought you had a study date?" Johnny raised an eyebrow.

"I do," Peter said, as he said as he went into his bedroom and pulled a shirt out of his dresser. He slipped it on and continued to talk to Johnny. "I'm just -- running late."

"Usually when people are running late, they don't take long showers."

"I wasn't -- was it long?" Peter glanced at his phone. It was after 6. "Shit." He slipped on a pair of underwear before he took off his towel. He quickly ran it over his hair, trying to soak up most of the water. He tossed the towel to the side of the room before grabbing his phone and sending a quick text to Harry.

"That's how you get mold, you know," Johnny said, leaning against the doorway. He gestured to the towel. "I expected that from Ezra, but not from a biology major."

"Which one's Ezra?" Peter asked, as he picked up the towel and threw it at Johnny. Johnny grabbed it before hanging it over the door for Peter. Peter grabbed a fresh pair of pants and forced them on as he hopped to the other side of the room for his shoes.

"The swimmer," Johnny said. "I think he studies economics ... economy? Business. He just seems like he'd smell like the pool all the time."

"That makes sense," Peter said, nodding as he slipped on his shoes. He grabbed his bag and his phone. "Okay, now I'm heading out."

"Speaking of smelling, does your boyfriend know you smoke?"

"What?" Peter smelled his shirt. He still reeked of smoke. "Ugh. I've tried everything to get the smell off."

"I know a trick." Johnny quickly went into his room and came back with a bottle of body spray. "It seems weird, but oranges mask the smell of smoke."

"Thanks," Peter said, taking a small sniff of the bottle before deciding to use it. He handed the bottle back to Johnny as he started to head out.

"You should probably tell him," Johnny said, tossing the bottle back to his bed. "I mean, he's going to find out eventually."

"My ex-girlfriend said the same thing," Peter half-laughed. Although, Gwen was referring to his secret identity as Spider-Man, and not Peter's imaginary bad habit of chain smoking. "I'll mention it to him."

"God, you are complicated," Johnny sighed.

"It's practically my middle name."

\-----

For such a large campus, it didn't take long for Peter to run to the library. It took him a bit before he found Harry sitting at a table with his notes sprawled out in front of him. Peter smiled. There was something about Harry focusing on his notes that made Peter's heart skip a beat. He tapped his pen rhythmically to the beat of his music, stopping every once in a while to make a correction in his notebook. Peter was caught up in the moment, he couldn't help but smile. It felt like going back in time, before all of their secrets came pouring out. Back when everything seemed innocent.

"Hey, Hare. Sorry I'm late," Peter said, setting his bag on an empty part of the table, trying not to mess up Harry's organized clutter. Harry looked up, pulling his earbuds off. He almost looked washed with relief.

"Peter," He stood up and pulled Peter into an embrace. Harry's touch was gentle, but it ached. Something was wrong.

Peter wrapped his arms around Harry and gave him a securing squeeze. "Hey, are you okay?"

"I ... I mean, now I am," Harry said softly, as he pulled away from Peter. He reached his hand out to Peter's cheek, hovering his fingertips over Peter's jawline before pulling his hand back. He sat back down in his chair. "I was just ... worried, I guess."

"You don't have to worry," Peter said, as he pulled out his chair and sat down. "It takes a lot to bring me down."

"I did."

"Yeah, but you had a --" Peter stopped. "I don't know what you had, but you had that gas thing."

"Yeah, to be fair, I didn't know what it was," Harry said softly. "I was told not to inhale the smoke and that was it."

"I added a filter to the mask," Peter said. He hoped that the information would make Harry feel better and avoid guilt. "And that helped today, with the dust and everything from the building."

Harry nodded, trying to pull back into a normal tone. "At least we know you won't get pneumoconiosis or TB."

"Because coal mining is my dream career after graduating from Columbia," Peter laughed as he pulled his notebook out of his bag. "Did you happen to get the study guide printed?"

"Yeah, I printed one out for both of us," Harry said, reaching into his bag and pulling out a dark folder, the silver Oscorp logo embossed in the center. He handed Peter the sheet from the folder. "I really haven't started on much, just catching up on the reading." Peter was half-surprised that the study guide was only one sheet of paper. He knew it was just a quick quiz, but it seemed like Harry was at Oscorp for a long time for printing two study guides.

"It took you thirty minutes for these?" Peter teased, as he glanced over the study guide. "Oscorp really needs to update their printer technology."

"Well, I had other stuff to print out, too," Harry said. "It took me a total of ten minutes to get everything printed out and separated. And by the time I got to the parking garage, I realized you hadn't texted back, s-so I just ... waited."

"You waited?"

"Yeah, I-I mean, I couldn't do anything else." The waver in Harry's voice told Peter that Harry's worry was more than just a slight concern over Peter's safety.

"Dude, I'm sorry," Peter said softly. He wished he could've calmed Harry's nerves sooner. "I needed to make sure everyone was safe."

"No, yeah, I get that," Harry replied quietly, adverting his attention to the study sheet and his book. "I just -- didn't expect to have an anxiety attack this soon in our relationship." He took a quick glance at Peter and flashed an Osborn-trademarked smile, one that's usually saved for publicity events, thinly veiled with sincerity. "I mean, how do you do this everyday?"

"It took some getting used to," Peter said, reaching his hand out to take Harry's. "We can do this."

Harry nodded softly. "So bonding --"

"I mean, yeah, that's what you can call it."

"I'm talking about the study guide, dumb ass."


	5. 'I'm never suiting back up.'

It took Harry at least two weeks before he stepped back into the Oscorp labs for anything other than vital testings. Two weeks before he acknowledged his dad during working hours. For two weeks, he refused to talk to him about Project Green or the Goblin. He'd let his dad finish his rant, telling Harry that it was important that they continued their studies and work to a better cure. That they needed to collect more data. That they could expand for more heroes. "This is what Oscorp needs," Norman would always finish. "This is what we need, Harry."

Harry would finally look at his dad and speak up. "We're almost out of dark roast coffee beans. I think I'm going to Brooklyn Roasting Company to pick some up tomorrow. Do you have a blend you want?"

Norman would sigh and tell Harry, "Buyer's choice."

Once the two week mark of Harry's return came, Norman assumed that Harry was done with Oscorp. That maybe he had pushed Harry too far into the family business and it was his fault that Harry had left New York. That the only time his son would ever step into Oscorp labs again were to take his vitals on Wednesdays. So it had surprised him when Harry had walked in Monday morning with a cup of coffee in his hand.

"We should talk," Harry said, pulling the chair in front of Norman's desk out for him to sit down. "About Project Green."

"Are you ready to suit back up?" Norman asked eagerly. "We can start as soon as --"

"I'm never suiting back up," Harry said. "I ... I want to be involved in Oscorp, but I can't be involved with Project Green." 

"Harry --"

"Dad I can't be involved anymore."

"You know this is --"

"I don't _want_ to be involved."

"This isn't a school project, Harry. This is your life we're talking about."

"I _am not_ a project," Harry raised his voice.

"Harold Theopolis," Norman raised his over Harry's, a little harsher than he meant. "You are not a project, but your involvement is vital to this one. We cannot continue without you."

"Then we're not going to continue," Harry said, a little softer. His dad's strong tones always carried a slight aggression to them. He knew they were only words and a way to grab his attention, but it always made Harry stumble backward. "I can't be a part of this anymore."

"Harry, this is your life --"

"And that's why I get to make this choice," Harry said, taking a sip of his coffee. "We have what we need. And if we're going to continue, we can build off of it."

"We need more samples, Harry," Norman said sternly. "We can't continue off of what we have. Before we can create anything else, even a new batch of the serum, we would need another sample."

Harry hesitated. He knew what that meant. Another suit up as Goblin to get Spider-Man for a blood sample. Or he'd pull Peter aside and ask him. But ... Harry can't do that. He can't involve Peter in this bullshit. He doesn't know what Norman plans to do with Peter's DNA after they found a cure for his muscle disorder. He couldn't make Peter a product of Oscorp. "Then I'll die."

"Harry --"

"This isn't a black and white situation, Norman," Harry said, standing up. "There's more to the story. I don't want to be the Goblin, ever. I'd rather die." His words fell like anvils. A weight that he no longer needed to carry. He started toward the door, ready to leave his past behind him and move to whatever future he had left for him. 

"The biotech department is looking for research assistants," Norman spoke up softly. "I can mention your availability."

Harry stopped at the doorway, looking back at his dad. He nodded, "Thank you."

"Vitals Wednesday," Norman reminded. "I'd like to keep up with those."

Harry nodded softly before heading back up to the penthouse.

He'd receive an email from his dad later that evening, notifying him about his new position, starting the following week after his first day of classes.

\-----

Harry's Tuesday and Thursday afternoons were completely clear. Actually, most of his classes were in the morning, with the exception of physics on Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays. Harry is not a morning person. At all. But when he enrolled in the spring, he knew that morning classes would be better than starting the day at Oscorp, then tiredly going to campus for classes.

His first day back working at Oscorp felt strange. Being back in the research lab was bittersweet, as he spent his entire summer separating Oscorp from his identity, but he soon realized that was impossible. Oscorp is who he was, it was a huge part of how he grew up. Part of him was angry that he wasn't allowed to be his own person, but part of him accepted it. He enjoyed science, he enjoyed creating. Sometimes, the numbers frustrated him when they wouldn't come out evenly, but it felt like a puzzle to him, and seeing the equation work out felt rewarding. 

Norman had spoke to Harry briefly before Harry went to the lab to talk with the research team, he filled him in on some new prototype projects they had started and new business models. Harry was going to be Norman's assistant on Fridays and work with a research team during the week. Harry figured he'd end up working with his dad much more than he said he was going to, especially with the power Norman has as the CEO of Oscorp. Norman could pull him from the project any day to run an errand. Harry was annoyed at the idea, but also relieved that his dad was still ... well, his dad.

Monday, Harry had a hard time focusing on listening to the researchers explain their project, as he couldn't get his mind off of Peter and the conversation they were planning to have. Harry was more focused on trying to figure out what he wanted to say to Peter, and how they could fix everything ... _if they could fix anything_.

Tuesday was easier. Much easier. Especially after having lunch with Peter and planned for a study date in the evening. Especially since Peter gently stopped Harry by the hips outside the dining hall and pulled him in for a soft kiss. Especially since Peter breathed the words, "I love you" against Harry's lips. Especially since everything was back to normal. Mainly.

"Harry, can you print those data sheets before you go?" One of the researchers asked. They were finished for the day. Harry had just finished translating the handwritten data to the computer.

"Yeah, sure," Harry nodded, looking up from his work station.

"Thanks," the researcher said. "Leave it on Lenny's desk. There's some empty folders near the printer."

Harry nodded, he had already started to print. He watched as the lead researcher left, then pulled out his phone and sent a quick text to Peter.

16:51

_H: I'm heading out in 10. Just waiting for the printer to finish._

While he's waiting, he might as well print the study guide, and print out an extra for Peter in case he didn't have the chance to print it. He went back to his work station and logged on. The recent files folder popped open. Harry's eyes fell straight to the Arachnid Archives, knowing it was one of the last files he had shared with Peter that involved his parents. Now that he knows Peter's powers came from this project, Harry felt obliged to share the entire file with Peter. He glanced at the doorway, knowing well enough that the researchers were done for the day. He queued the file to print, then went to download the study guide from the online portal.

As he started to separate the printed arachnid archive files from the data sheets, one of the researchers walked back in.

"Oh good, you're still here," She said, quickly moving her attention to her phone.

"Y-yeah," Harry said, trying to slyly push the bigger file out of sight. "I'm just about to head out. I have a study session on campus. Do you need something?"

"Your dad wanted a check in," She said, putting her phone down. "I was still on this level, so I told him I'd do it for him so he didn't have to leave the genetics lab."

Harry wrinkled his brow. He crossed his arms and leaned against the counter. "Is there a reason why he wanted a check in?"

"He said there was an explosion along Tenth Avenue," She explained. "He wanted to make sure you haven't left yet."

"Oh," Harry said softly, relaxing. A soft ping turned her attention back to her phone.

"A news alert says it was in Hell's Kitchen," She turned to leave, giving him a soft wink. "You should be fine on your way back to campus."

"Thanks," Harry said, as he pulled his study guide off of the printer. "Didn't want to be late to study group."

"Stay on top of your studies, Harry," She said as she left the room. Harry put the study guides into a new folder before sending another text to Peter.

17:06

_H: Someone just mentioned an explosion in Hell's Kitchen, it might affect traffic_

_H: I'll probably be a little late_

He checked the data sheets, making sure every page was there before moving the folder to Lenny's desk. Suddenly, it hit Harry. He quickly reached for his phone and texted Peter back.

17:07

_H: wait_

_H: are you there?_

Peter said he was going for a patrol. Harry wasn't quite sure what that entailed, but he really hoped it wasn't related to this explosion. But something told him that if Peter wasn't there when the explosion took place, he's there now.

17:10

_H: Peter_

The printer finished. Harry tried to distract himself as he gathered his papers and put them in separate folders. He had two copies of the arachnid archives to go over with Peter and help explain from what Oscorp knowledge Harry had. Somehow, Harry should've known that getting his mind off of Peter was way harder than it sounds. He put the folders in his bag and started to head down to the parking garage.

17:14

_H: Pete_

Harry sat in his car, engine off. Waiting.

His heart beating fast and loud. The lump in his throat made it hard to swallow. His fingers rapidly tapped against the dashboard as he hung over the steering wheel. His eyes closed shut as he tried to find a way to calm down. He felt his phone buzz in his hand. He quickly leaned back to glance down, to see an empty screen.

The cycle started again. 

17:19

_H: Peter._

The cycle started again.

Until he felt the vibrations pull him back in his seat.

17:25

_P: I'm okay_

Harry sighed in relief. Every nerve in his body was still buzzing.

_H: Thank God_

_H: I thought you were there_

_P: I was_

_P: Everything's okay now_

_P: I_   _promise_

_H: fuck_

_H: okay._

He leaned his forehead against the steering wheel, eyes closed shut. He focused on Peter's texts, and tried to breathe slowly. Peter was okay. Peter was okay. Peter was okay.  _  
_

He sighed again, shooting off another next before he started his engine.

17:32

_H: Okay, I'm leaving now_

As soon as Peter told him that he would meet him at the library, Harry took several deep breaths before pulling out of his parking spot. Prepared for the slow drive back to campus.

\-----

"Hey are you hungry?" Peter asked, as he put his already closed notebook into his bag. His stomach has been rumbling for the past ten minutes and, as much as he loved Harry going over the differences between ionic bonding and covalent bonding, his stomach was winning his focus over Harry going over the study guide.

"Yeah, I could go for something," He said, slipping the study guide in his book before closing it. He stood up as he slipped his book into his bag. "Oh, hey. Before I forget." He pulled out another black folder and handed it to Peter. Peter raised his eyebrow, a little confused. He opened the front cover to look at the first page. 

_Arachnid Archives, Oscorp (1998-06, 2014-15)_

Peter's breath hitched. He flipped to the next page, then the next. He quickly flipped through every single page. Nothing was redacted.

"No way," Peter said softly. He looked up at Harry. "How did you get Norman to approve of this?"

"I didn't," Harry said, as he slipped the leather bag strap over his shoulder. "I figured you should know about it. We can go over it together sometime, if you want. I read it last year, so I'd probably need a refresher." Peter nodded as he looked back down at the folder, his fingertips hovering over his father's name in the list of researchers involved in the project. "I didn't tell my dad about you, if that's what you're thinking."

"What?" 

"About your ... _night job_ ," Harry said softly. "You said you haven't told May. So I'm not going to tell Norman."

"Harry, I wasn't worried," Peter said, closing the folder and pressing a soft kiss against Harry's cheek. "Although, constructive criticism? Don't call it a night job. People are going to think I strip or something."

"It's your life and however you're paying for your education is your business, and only your business," Harry grinned. He reached his hand out to grab Peter's, stopping mere centimeters away from Peter's palm. He turned his palm up, waiting patiently for Peter to grab it. Peter smiled, carefully put the folder in his bag and slung it over his shoulder. He met Harry's hand with his own, giving a soft squeeze.

"I think I'm done for tonight," Peter said. "I mean, with my ... job. It took a toll on me today, if you want to hang out after we grab supper?"

"Absolutely," Harry grinned. "We can go back to my dorm and chill. We can go over the files if you want."

"Oscorp files and chill?" Peter laughed. "Come on, I think we can get some subs to go."

The boys ended up finding a nice grassy spot to sit outside to eat their supper on their way from the dining hall to Harry's dorm. Sometimes, it felt nice to feel like a normal couple. Enjoying the last bit of daylight before the sun sets while Harry's phone quietly plays a soft indie playlist. Talking about their class schedules and laughing while some brave pigeons approached the couple, hoping for a few bread crumbs. Peter softly smiling as he could feel Harry's feather-light touches gain some weight.

Peter, who had already scarfed down his sandwich, held Harry's free hand as he listened to him talk about his citations assignment for University Writing. Some part of Peter was glad he opt for the 10 am track of the class, but his professor had a different idea of assignments. Peter would much rather work with Harry on citations over his writing assignment about his major. He wondered quietly how much effort was needed for him to switch to the 8 am track. Police sirens echoed off of nearby buildings. Peter closed his eyes, trying his best to ignore them. He brought Harry's hand up to his lips for a gentle kiss.

Harry stopped mid-sentence, explaining the difference between APA and Chicago citations, as he could tell something had caught Peter's attention. He studied Peter before he could hear the sirens grow louder. "Do you need to go?"

Peter softly shook his head. "I don't have my suit." He knew it smelled of sweat and smoke. He didn't want to bring that smell into the library. He was going to wash it tonight in the sink. Peter pressed another soft kiss against Harry's hand, trying to get his attention off of the sirens. Harry could tell it was bugging him.

"When's your Latin class?" Harry asked, trying to distract Peter. "Or did your extremely handsome high school tutor help you test out of it?"

"He was alright," Peter laughed. "A little too hands-on learning, if you know what I mean."

"I thought that's how you learn best?" Harry smirked. "Wait, what do you mean _he was alright?"_

Peter ignored Harry's question. "I'm not taking Latin this semester."

"Really? And your adviser let you get away with that?" Peter nodded. Harry racked his brain of possibilities of what humanities class would benefit Peter more than a Latin class. "What are you taking instead?"

"Italian."

"Oh my God." Harry's shit-eating grin told Peter all he needed to know.

Peter knocked his shoulder against Harry's. "Maybe _someone_ had said something to me in Italian and I wanted to know what they said."

"Tu sei il sole del mio giorno," Harry grinned.

"I've only had one class, Hare," Peter laughed. "I've learned the alphabet and ... uh ... 'Ciao, me chiamo Peter.' "

"Mi fai eccitare," Harry jokingly moaned. Peter smacked Harry's chest playfully.

"I swear to God," Peter groaned. "I can't take you in public."

"Then how about you take me somewhere private?" Harry smirked as he stood up and reached down to help Peter. "Come on, we have Oscorp files and chilling to do."


	6. 'Is the project still active?'

The boys had set aside the Oscorp files for another night. Some light weekend reading. 

But for now, Harry gave Peter the SparksNote version of the Arachnid Archives as they laid in his small bed. Harry tucked himself between Peter and the wall, his head resting against Peter's chest and Peter's hand tangled in the back of his hair.

"Oscorp's main objective has always been making lives better," Harry stated, almost too rehearsed as it was ingrained in his Oscorp image management. "The Arachnid Archives was an example of Oscorp going too far and losing sight of the objective. The genetically-modified spiders were created to help create new healing methods, hoping that we could cure illnesses and create self-healing, regenerating medicines." Harry hesitated, knowing he could explain to Peter why the Goblin was after Peter ... but he couldn't tell him that yet. "Dr. Connors had a similar project --"

"Curt Connors?"

"Yeah," Harry asked. "Do you know him?"

"Do I -- ? Yeah, Hare," Peter lifted his head a little to look at Harry to see if he was joking. He wasn't. "He was the Lizard."

"What?"

"He was the Lizard," Peter repeated. "He had a -- a serum, or something, that turned him into a 10-foot lizard."

"That was Connors?" Harry asked again. "Holy shit."

"Yeah," Peter said, running his fingers through Harry's hair. "I ... worked with him for a bit. I was trying to learn more about my dad. It was right after the spider bite."

"Holy shit," Harry repeated, closing his eyes as he focused on Peter's fingers. "I guess it didn't work. His project focused on limb regeneration."

"It worked."

"What?" Harry picked his head up off of Peter's chest.

"Yeah, he grew his arm back," Peter said. "He just -- turned into a lizard."

"Holy shit."

"You've said that," Peter laughed. Harry smiled as he leaned his head back down on Peter's chest. Peter continued to run his fingers through Harry's hair. "You said they lost sight? On the Arachnid Archives?"

Harry hesitated. "They ... they were working toward super soldiers." He could feel Peter tense beneath him. He ran his hand gently up and down Peter's chest. "I don't think your dad was involved with that. They closed it as soon as they realized they had changed courses."

"Why was it reopened?"

"Because of me," Harry said softly. He closed his eyes as Peter ran his free hand up and down his back. "Dad thought that the spiders' genetic enhancement could do something for my disorder. Stop it or slow it down."

"And I ruined the project," Peter said, feeling guilty. "I'm sorr --"

"Don't be," Harry said, leaning up off of Peter. Peter's hand instantly stopped rubbing Harry's back and wrapped around him instead, not wanting him to get up. Harry adjusted himself so he could look at Peter. "You didn't know and you didn't mean to. Plus, we didn't know if it was going to be successful."

"Do you think it could've been?" Peter asked. "I mean, I have healing abilities. Do you think it would've helped?"

Harry wanted to say, _"Yes. We actually proved it would help. When I was on the Spider-Man serum, I felt the best that I've had in forever."_ But he couldn't. He couldn't let Peter know that. He couldn't force Peter to have to be his lifeline. He just ... couldn't.

"No," Harry said softly, leaning back down on Peter. Peter tightened his grip on Harry.

"Hey," He whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of Harry's head. "Everything's going to be okay."

Harry nodded into Peter, burying his face into his chest. He wanted to believe in Peter's words, and part of him sort of did. Maybe it was his comforting hold that made his hope feel real. But Harry has been fighting the urge to get off of Peter and find his pain killers. But as soon as the pill passed his lips, he opened himself to a new topic **:** his pain is back and he's not taking his medicine. That he hasn't took his medicine daily since April. That he's still dying. He let out a deep breath as he tried to focus on Peter instead of his pain. He knew if he took his pill, Peter's touch would be numb against his skin.

Harry leaned up, bringing his hand to gently touch Peter's cheek, his finger-tips feather light against Peter's skin. He wanted to kiss Peter. He wanted to lean down those few inches and place his lips against Peter's ... but he couldn't do it. Not just yet. "Everything's going to be okay," He repeated softly, leaning back into Peter.

Peter moved his hand from Harry's hair and gently rubbed small circles on his back. He wanted to comfort Harry, as he could tell something was bothering Harry ... but he probably wouldn't tell Peter unless Peter brought it up first. "Do you ... want to talk about the Goblin? Or do you want to save it for another day?"

Harry hesitated. "It was another project that lost sight. Project Green developed into something else, very quickly." Their main objective was to collect enough superhero DNA to see if any of them could help heal Harry, but the more tasks Norman had set up, the more Harry realized the project was no longer about him. "I think -- I think my dad wanted to bring back the super soldiers."

"Is the project still active?" Peter asked quietly. He knew he saw the Goblin today, but he knew Harry didn't want to be a part of that anymore.

"No," Harry said. "I told dad that I wasn't going to be involved with Oscorp if Project Green was still going on."

Peter ran his fingers through Harry's hair. He knew how much stress Harry puts on himself to win his father's approval. Standing up to him must have been hard on Harry. "I'm proud of you."

"Fuck, don't say that," Harry mumbled into Peter's chest. 

"I am, though," Peter said, honestly.

"God, you're going to make me cry," Harry laughed, half-joking. Peter telling Harry that he was proud of him was almost as good as hearing his father say it. _No._ _It was better._ Peter truly meant it. Harry brought his head up again and pressed a soft kiss against Peter's chin. "I love you."

Peter caught Harry's chin in his hand, guiding him closer to him as Peter leaned in for a long, soft kiss. "I love you, too."

"God, I missed you," Harry mumbled into the kiss. Part of him regrets running away, knowing that they could have fixed their relationship much sooner, but he knew he needed to step away. He needed to step away from the Goblin ... from Oscorp. He needed to step away before he ruined everything. But that's exactly what he did, he ruined everything.

Maybe ... not everything.

He hovered his fingertips over Peter's temple, following an imaginary line down to Peter's cheekbone then to his jaw, his touch gaining weight along the way. Peter softly nipped at Harry's bottom lip, encouraging his lips to split. Harry melted into the kiss, splitting his lips and welcoming Peter's tongue as he deepened the kiss. His hand slipped under Peter's shirt, counting his ribs with his fingertips. Peter moaned softly as he could feel Harry kiss him back -- _finally._ Harry instinctively ran his fingers back along Peter's ribs, finding his open palm against Peter's side. A loud crack filled Harry's ears, as he remembered the sound of Peter's ribs breaking underneath the Goblin's boot. Harry pulled his hand away from his ribs and pulled back from the kiss.

"We should stop," Harry said, softly and out of breath. "I -- I don't want to mess this up."

 _"We're_ not going to mess this up," Peter said, equally as out of breath.

"I don't want to hurt you again," Harry whispered, his touch slowly disappearing from Peter's skin as he started to pull his hand away from Peter's face. Peter promptly stopped him, guiding Harry's hand back to his jaw. He let go, gently tracing his way down Harry's arm.

"You're not going to hurt me." He locked eyes with Harry, smiling as soon as he could feel Harry's hesitant touch relax against his skin. "We ... can take this slow."

Harry nodded softly, closing his eyes. "I'd like that."

\-----

Norman Osborn has been running on the bare minimum amount of sleep since Harry disappeared. The first week, Norman spent hours after hours trying to find his son. Tracking everything he could, credit cards, cell phone signals, but Harry was smart and always a step ahead of his father. But, at least, Norman knew he was alive.

As soon as Harry was safe in Campania, Norman switched gears. He continued to work on Project Green, preparing the Goblin for Harry's return. During working hours, his researchers worked on the serum, perfecting it as much as they could before realizing they would need more samples. After hours, Norman worked on the Goblin. Coffee had became Norman's crutch through the night.

When Harry returned, not much has changed. Norman worries were at rest, but he continued to work long hours. At least, the coffee was better. Sure, Norman wasn't drinking Folgers, but one of the first things Harry said to him was "This tastes like shit." Luckily, Harry has a better taste in coffee and knows what to look for. ("This coffee has notes of chocolate and berries, not dirt and grime.") Norman accepted Harry's criticism and waited for him to return fully to the Oscorp labs.

So when Harry said he wasn't going to continue Project Green, Norman knew he couldn't drop the project. Dropping the project would mean Harry's health dropping. And Norman already had his suspicions of Harry cutting back on the serum. He couldn't lose his son. Not if he could help it. Norman was going to continue Project Green without Harry and behind his back.

He originally had planned on keeping the project clean after Harry's disappearance, realizing that maybe Harry knew something that Norman didn't about Spider-Man. Maybe Spider-Man was too dangerous to capture, too risky. The labs tried to recreate the serum without the Spider-Man DNA, but soon realized that their test subjects would get sick and that their new serum was no where ready for human trials. 

Oscorp needed new samples.

Norman continued to work on the Goblin's suit. Perfecting it. Adding new technologies, new weapons. It wouldn't take long for the Goblin to capture Spider-Man and collect new samples. 

But then Harry said he wasn't going to be involved in the project. That he would rather die than suit up as the Goblin again.

Norman couldn't believe it.

This was Harry's life they were talking about. And if he was willing to throw away a better chance at living, rather spend his life in pain, then something must have gotten to him that night.

Spider-Man must have compromised Harry.

And if Harry wasn't going to bring the vigilante in, someone else was going to have to. Even if that meant Norman relying on an old colleague again. But for now, Norman would plan to take matters into his own hands.

And with the Goblin's most recent suit missing (Harry still refuses to tell where he ditched the suit), Norman almost had to start from scratch. It took him a week for him to modify one of the older suits. Norman stood tall and had wide shoulders. Harry took after his mother with a smaller, slender frame. Soon, the Goblin was ready for a test drive.

The Goblin flew high, hopefully out of sight. That is, until his heat sensor located someone else at this altitude.

"I think we found a friend," Norman grumbled into the communication piece.

("Suit's not ready for combat," a voice replied. "Just be ready.")

The Goblin turned in his spot, thinking quick. He took an orb, throwing it toward the nearest apartment building, almost hitting the Spider-Man himself. He watched as the masked man's emotions seeped through the cloth. "Don't you have citizens to save?"

"We -- We're gonna have to talk about this later," Spider-Man said, quickly turning to the building. The Goblin took this as his cue to leave, and in a hurry.

The Goblin touched the communication piece, "Alexander, use my phone to request a check-in for my son. I heard there was an explosion on Tenth Avenue, I'd like to know if my son has left the building yet."

("On it, sir," Alexander replied. "I can check the feeds, if you'd like me to.")

"No, I'd like one of the researchers to convey to Harry that I'm still in the building," Norman said.

("I'll send Andrews in.")

A few minutes past before Alexander chimed back in through the communications piece.

("Andrews says he's still there. About to head out for a study session.")

"Good," Norman said, knowing he was still about ten minutes away from Oscorp. "Watch the feeds. Let me know as soon as he leaves the building. I can't have him see the Goblin."

("Will do.")

A few minutes past.

("He seems to be just ... waiting," Alexander said. "I believe for the printer.")

A few more minutes.

("He's still waiting, all pages seem to be printed out," Alexander informed. Norman still has about two minutes before he gets there. "Okay. He's getting up. I'll let you know as soon as he leaves the building.")

Alexander switched cameras, watching Harry constantly check his phone in the elevator and made his way to the parking garage. He didn't have time to update Norman of Harry's change of location before Norman entered the room, helmet off. Alexander turned around in his chair. "You made it in time."

"Just left?"

"Almost," Alexander said. "He's in the parking garage."

Norman walked over and checked. There was Harry, sitting in the car. He didn't think much of it, as sometimes Harry liked to take things in. He nodded, gave a thanks to Alexander, before going to change. There was much needed to be done with the Goblin and the glider. And right now, Norman's seriously considering calling that old colleague for help.


	7. 'Hey, I gotta -- gotta go.'

Peter tried to make it a habit to not ditch dates, but it was easier said than done. And sometimes, it was necessary.

Like the time when the Rhino attacked Coney Island? That was necessary.

And Peter was glad he decided to step up as Spider-Man as the Rhino started to slightly spill the beans on his plans to kidnap Harry. And the time that the Rhino actually kidnapped Harry on New Year's Eve? Peter was glad he had his suit on. Otherwise, he wasn't sure if he could have just sat and waited for the police. Not with Harry's safety in danger.

There were times when Harry and Peter would have date in at a coffee shop and Peter could hear the sirens in the distance. He'd close his eyes and squeeze Harry's hand as he tried to put the noises behind him. Sometimes, it was enough to open his eyes to see Harry still there, fingers tangled with his. His assuring smile always told Peter that everything would be alright in the end, whether or not Harry knew what Peter was worried about. 

**But there were times when Spider-Man absolutely had to show.**

"I promise you, this place is great," Harry grinned. He wrapped his arm tightly around Peter's waist. "It's worth the wait."

"Is this the vegan or the burger joint?" Peter asked, leaning into Harry. They've already been waiting fifteen minutes of the forty they were told they were going to be waiting. His hand rested in Harry's back pocket. They stood comfortably, but if they moved, one of them was going to have to move his hand.

"It's both," Harry said. "The vegan burgers are to die for."

"I'd rather live," Peter laughed. Harry pressed a kiss against Peter's cheek. "But I'll trust your taste buds." Shivers went up Peter's spine. Sirens filled the air. He bit his cheek. Letting it pass.

"Hey," Harry turned to face Peter, wrapping his other arm around Peter's waist. "I know I'm irresistible, but can you not grab my ass in public?"

"Oh." Peter didn't even realized he had squeezed Harry's butt. Squeezing his hand had been such a reaction to the tension, he didn't even think twice about it. He relaxed. "Sorry," he gave a cheeky grin, hoping it would be enough to cover his own ass.

Harry rolled his eyes, pressing a soft kiss against Peter's lips. "I mean, we can go to that alleyway over there, if you can be quick about it."

"Not until I see a doctor's note," Peter said, almost too serious. Harry rolled his eyes. The serum. Right. Harry's current serum seemed to cause him to have an asthma attack when he gets his heart-rate accelerates too quickly. And when Peter's mouth is on his neck and his hips roll against Harry's, Harry's chest gets tight and he forgets how to breathe as his heart overworks. Harry couldn't wait for his lab results to come back in, so they could get him on the new serum -- the one thanks to Spider-Man.

"I could forge one," Harry mumbled.

"Harold Theopolis Osborn," Peter laughed, almost forgetting about the sirens in the distance. Until they multiplied. Peter bit his cheek again.

"Seriously babe, can you not?" Harry laughed, moving his hands to Peter's waist. He pushed himself off of Peter, but kept his hands on his waist. "We're going to have to treat this like a middle school dance."

"Sorry!" Peter raised his hands sheepishly. "Bad reflexes." Behind Harry, Peter could see a wave of sand peek between the buildings. "Shit," He mumbled under his breath.

"I know, I caught you red handed, _twice_ ," Harry laughed. He pressed a soft kiss against Peter's jaw. 

"Y-yeah," Peter awkwardly laughed. He returned a soft kiss against Harry's cheek. "Hey, I'm going to run to the bathroom real quick. I'll meet you back here? Or inside if they call us early?"

"Uh, yeah," Harry said, letting go of his grip on Peter, but Peter was already gone. He sighed, pulling out his phone and leaning against the side of the building as he waited.

Peter, on the other hand, slipped into the building to slip right back out a separate entrance, quickly changing from Peter Parker to Spider-Man in an alley. He casted a web, starting to swing toward the sirens. He weaved his way in between buildings, until he found the source of the sirens -- well, the cause.

"Hey Sandman!" Spider-Man called out to the fast moving sea of sand. He watched as a small whirlpool formed, as if Spider-Man caught his attention, but the large body of sand continued to move. "I thought you were supposed to help us sleep, not -- ... what are you doing?"

The whirlpool faded, losing interest in the vigilante. The body of sand moved faster.

"Hey!" Spider-Man called, trying to swing faster to catch up to the front of the sand-flood. The sand switched directions, taking Peter off-guard. Peter quickly swung around and followed the body. "Dude, I'm just trying to have a normal spring break, can that just be a thing?"

The whirlpool started again.

"I mean, it's spring break for most schools. And colleges. And for teachers and administrators," Spider-Man tried to backtrack. "Don't you have crime to do?"

Shivers went up Peter's spine.

Spider-Man quickly moved to one side of the street, trying to find higher ground, but a wave of sand quickly covered him.

Peter tried to push himself out, quickly getting covered back up. The body of sand was strong. His mind flashed back to when he was a child at Brighton Beach, quickly overpowered by a wave. The water constantly moving, making it hard for the small boy to stand back up. But Uncle Ben was there to pick him back up, pulling him out of the water and into the high safety of his arms. Peter held his breath as he extended his arm, shooting his web in a hopeful direction. As soon as he felt it hit something, he quickly reeled himself out of the sand, coughing the grains of sand that slipped into his mouth. 

He had to think fast before Sandman trapped others.

The sand, strong and powerful, crushed cars as it went over them, breaking windows of lower level buildings. 

Spider-Man kept the high ground as he stuck to the building. He quickly webbed a car door, broken at the hinges from the sand, and swung it toward a fire hydrant, setting it off. Then another. And another.

He dropped the door and quickly webbed the spraying water, angling it toward the main body of the sand. It quickly started to slow down, turning into mud, and finally stopping. He slowly lowered himself then angled the water to spray the Sandman, pushing him into the gutter. He'll deal with him at a later date. He started to sing to himself as he started to clean up. "Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream. Make him the cutest that I've ever seen -- Shit." He sprayed a few more webs, hoping that the water pressure would do his job for him as he started to head back to the restaurant.

As soon as Peter was back, he quickly went in the back door, apologizing to wait staff as he was "searching for the bathroom, and the kitchen isn't it, sorry." He made his way through the restaurant, searching for Harry. He started to the front door before he heard his name called.

"Peter!" He turned around, spotting Harry near the front of the restaurant. He hoped he didn't spy him coming in from the kitchen. "I got us a spot outside. I ordered blackberry mint lemonades."

"Are they to die for?" Peter asked as Harry lead him to the outdoor sitting. It was a nice day to sit outside, despite the fact that there's a huge muddy mess a few blocks over.

"I mean, they're good," Harry grinned. "I don't think I'd die for them, but they're good."

Peter laughed. There's times where Peter is honestly surprised that Harry would want to date him, _is dating him_. But somehow, Peter landed the cutest boy in New York City, and it wasn't a dream.

"Hey, you got something in your hair," Harry leaned over the table, running his hand through Peter's hair, trying to push it out. "... Sand?"

"No?" Peter leaned back and ran his hand through his hair. It definitely was sand. "Dandruff. I switched shampoos last week. I guess I need to switch back."

"Yeah," Harry wrinkled his brow. "Your shampoo shouldn't be doing that. What brand was it?"

"Dollar store."

"God, yeah, you need something better than that," Harry opened his menu, and mindlessly looked through the options as he already knew he was going to get a portabello black bean burger. "When we get back to my place, we can shower and you can use my shampoo to see if it helps."

"Yeah, that would be great," Peter said as he turned his attention to the menu. Hopefully, he can talk Harry out of showering together, or else he's going to realize it actually is sand. Maybe this was a bad idea.

**Even after telling Harry, it was still hurt to leave.**

"Is your suite still doing a movie night tonight?" Harry asked, as he pulled Peter into the small cafe.

"Yeah, you're welcome to join," Peter said. "They said they wouldn't mind."

"I would, but dad's hosting a dinner tonight," Harry shrugged. "I get the afternoon off as long as I'm attending. Plus, you should probably get to know your roommates, so you have more friends than just your boyfriend."

"I have other friends," Peter said almost defensively.

"Like?"

"Can I count Gwen?"

"She's not in the country, so no," Harry rolled his eyes. "Plus, isn't a little weird to count your ex-girlfriend as a friend?"

"I mean, not really," Peter shrugged. Gwen and Peter were on good terms, it just ... wasn't the right time. Peter felt responsible for her dad's death and wasn't emotionally ready to face Gwen, so he pulled out of their relationship completely. He knew he hurt Gwen by doing it, but he was trying to protect her. At least Gwen's new boyfriend seems like a good guy. "Hey! Eddie. Eddie's a friend."

"Eddie Brock?" Harry raised an eyebrow. "Gwen's boyfriend?"

"Yeah?"

Harry laughed. "You'll name your ex-girlfriend and her current boyfriend before you name Flash Thompson?"

"Oh," Peter said a little embarrassed. "I forgot he was still in New York."

"Empire State's fullback," Harry said, as he pulled Peter forward in line. "He wants a movie night sometime after the season ends. Hey, why didn't you do sports? You could've made any team."

"Oh, I -- uh -- thought it wouldn't be fair," Peter half-laughed. "Plus, could you imagine 'Puny Parker' suddenly having the ability to lift 20 tons when he could barely fight Flash in the hallway?"

Harry laughed before Peter's words set in. "Wait you can lift 20 tons?" He asked, in a hush voice.

Peter shrugged, as if it wasn't a big deal. Well, sometimes it was nice to be able to lift a car or two. "I've stopped the 7 train once."

"Holy shit," Harry mumbled, as he stared at Peter in disbelief. A moment passed before he switched to looking at the menu, trying to decide what drink he wanted before turning his attention back to Peter. "You dropped me."

"What?"

"During winter break," Harry said, crossing his arms. "We went to Central Park and your dropped me. In the snow!"

Peter opened his mouth to defend himself, before remembering stubborn Harry not wanting to leave the park, even if it could have been bad for his health. Peter had picked him up, and carried him over his shoulder back to Oscorp, suddenly realizing he shouldn't be able to deadlift Harry. Peter pretended to almost drop Harry, to make him believe that it was a possibility ... only for Peter to drop Harry because of ice. "Okay, that was an accident," He laughed. Peter leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss against Harry's cheek as he rolled his eyes.

Shivers went down Peter's back.

He clenched his jaw as he glanced over his shoulder, a quick flash of gray told Peter all he needed to know. 

"Pete?"

"Hey, I gotta -- gotta go," he quickly leaned into Harry, pressing a kiss against his lips before backing up. "I gotta -- be right back. Stay out of sight for a bit, okay? Stay safe."

"Stay safe from what?" Harry asked, hushed. But Peter was already out the door and running after trouble. He hesitated a moment, ready to run after Peter ... but remembering he's not just dating his best friend, he's dating a superhero. He slumped to the back of the cafe, away from windows and pulled out his phone, searching for a news livestream that could tell Harry what kind of trouble Spider-Man was going after.

 Peter quickly found an alleyway to change. He couldn't wait until it was cooler weather and he could hide his suit so much easier. He slipped on the mask and quickly swung out, searching for the Rhino. Screams of terrified citizens helped lead Spider-Man in the right direction.

The Rhino quickly, and easy, destroyed his way through brick walls, finding his prize deep within the bank vault.

"Rhino!" Spider-Man called out. "When they say 'Drive-Thru' they don't mean actually drive through the building."

"Sometimes, Spider, you got to make things work for yourself," The Rhino said, pivoting before sprinting toward Spider-Man.

Spider-Man waited, before the Rhino was yards away before he pushed himself off of the ground, vaulting over the Rhino. Rotating in the air, Spider-Man quickly started to spray a web to the Rhino, hopeful to stop him before he destroys another building. He held onto the web as he sprayed another, wrapping it around a street light as he tried to act as the glue that kept the Rhino stuck. "Man, you gotta shed some pounds," Spider-Man struggled to get out, needing to focus on pulling the Rhino back, and keeping his shoulders in their sockets. A strong tug from the Rhino could lead to Harry fixing Peter's dislocated shoulder.

Or, Spider-Man losing grip on his other web, and now being tugged through the building.

"Shit!" He said, quickly webbing anything he could to block the Rhino's path. Chairs? Nope. Desks? Nope. Filing cabinets? Nope. The Rhino dragged Spider-Man out the opposite side of the building, using his momentum to slam Spider-Man into a support beam. 

Spider-Man let go of the web as he fell on the ground with an "umf!" He took a deep breath and rolled over, suddenly realizing that the Rhino was right next to him, about to stomp him into the ground.

"A dead spider means less trouble," The Rhino said. "Less time --"

"Hey Rhino! Looking for wealth?" Peter's eyes widened at the familiar voice.

"Get out of here!" Spider-Man called to Harry, as he stood amongst the rubble on the opposite side of the building.

The Rhino glanced at Spider-Man before stepping away, turning his full attention to the Osborn son. "But Spider, this is opportunity that I have wanted." He started to run toward Harry, now bright-eyed, realizing his mistake.

Spider-Man jumped to his feet, running after the Rhino and Harry, quickly acting. Using both webs, he grabbed as much office furniture he could, the desks, chairs and cabinets that couldn't stop the Rhino earlier, could now collectively push the straight-running Rhino away from running toward Harry and tire the villain out. As soon as Harry was no longer the finish line for the Rhino, Spider-Man sprayed a few extra webs around the Rhino's legs, stopping the Rhino temporarily. The most he could hope for was to buy some time. 

Spider-Man quickly wrapped his arm around Harry, pulling him in close. Harry barely had enough time to wrap his arms around his boyfriend's neck in a hug before he was swept off his feet. He gasped, tightening his grip around Spider-Man, realizing that he wasn't comforting him. Spider-Man casted a web, using his momentum to swing them to the top of a nearby building.

As soon as they landed on the building, Spider-Man pulled away and started to pull up his mask.

"What are you doing? You could've gotten yourself killed --" 

Harry grabbed Spider-Man's arm, keeping him from pulling his mask fully up. His attention glued to the skyline behind Spider-Man. "There's a news helicopter behind you."

Peter pressed his lips together, pulling the mask back down. "We're gonna have a conversation about this later."

Harry let go of Spider-Man's arm and wrinkled his brow. _"You_ could've died if I didn't step in."

Spider-Man stepped toward the ledge of the building, running his hands across the top of his mask, craving the calming feeling of his fingers through his hair. "Okay, we both could've died but right now, we need to put a bookmark in this conversation or someone else might die. Give me ten minutes, fifteen tops." He jumped off, casting a web to another building as he swung down to find the Rhino.

Harry rushed to the edge, watching his boyfriend swing away. He softly sighed, hoping Spider-Man would be more careful. He walked to the rooftop access door, only to discover it's locked.

He rushed back over the edge and called effortlessly after Spider-Man, knowing he couldn't hear him anymore. "I need a lift back down, Spidey!" He sighed and pulled out his phone, shooting a quick text to Peter for whenever he was done.

14:39

_H: You know I'm stuck up here, right?_

14:53

_P: That was the plan_

_P: Still helicopters?_

_H: They're leaving_

_H: Heading north_

_P: I'll come rescue you_

_H: My knight in blue spandex_

_P: Fuck off_

Within a minute, Spider-Man came swinging back up to the rooftop, red bookbag in hand. As soon as he landed on the roof, he dropped his bag and quickly pulled Harry into a hug. Harry instantly wrapped his arms around Peter ... tightly. Peter sighed, happy as he felt Harry's tight grasp return, only to feel it fade away. 

"No hold up," He said softly, keeping his arms tightly around Harry. "I need this for a bit longer." He leaned his head back slightly to look at Harry. "You're not hurting me." Harry's fingertips hesitated against Peter's back before Harry pulled away.

"I need to talk to Peter," Harry hesitated, looking at the man in front of him. It almost hurt seeing Peter in costume. "Not Spider-Man."

"Hare --"

"Nothing personal," Harry said. "There's news helicopters out there, ... _Spidey_. I can't have my dad hearing from CNN that I was making out with Spider-Man on a rooftop."

" ... Do you want to make out?"

"That's not my point."

"So that's a yes?"

Harry rolled his eyes as he went to pick up Peter's bookbag from the ground. He extended it to Spider-Man. "Will you change? Or take me to the street so I can go look for my missing boyfriend."

"Jeez," Peter grinned, as he took his backpack and slipped it on. He wrapped his arm around Harry's waist, pulling him close and toward the edge of the building. "I hope you don't boss your boyfriend around like this."

"Pete, I'm --"

"I'm joking," Peter said, lifting the bottom of his mask up to his nose. "See? Smirks." Harry rolled his eyes. Peter leaned in and place a soft, quick kiss on Harry's lips. Followed by a second, more lingering kiss. "Okay," He said softly, pulling away from Harry. "Ready?"

Harry, breathlessly surprised by the kisses, reached up to pull Peter's mask down before wrapping his arm around Peter's neck. "Ready." 

Seamlessly, Spider-Man pulled Harry in tighter and stepped off the ledge, casting a quick web to another building, returning him to the ground for a later unmasked Peter Parker to find and pull into another hug.


	8. 'It seems like trouble follows everyone around New York.'

"Okay, let's talk basic 'not dying' safety," Peter said, handing Harry a paper coffee cup. He sat down next to him, half-wishing that Harry didn't choose to sit by the window, where they could see the destruction of the building down the street. "One, don't run in the middle of traffic. Two? Don't interact with rhinos **:** the animals or the bad guy."

"I've seen you break both those rules," Harry said, putting the cup up to his mouth for a drink. "Today."

"That's different --"

"Because you made the rules?"

"Okay, Aunt May made the first rule and I'm sure if I ran the second rule by her she'd agree."

Harry opened his mouth to argue, but realized that most of his arguments are weak against a superhero. "I just ... was worried." He took a sip of his coffee, carefully looking over his shoulder to anyone that might be listening. He turned his attention back to Peter and lowered his voice. "I saw Spider-Man being stretched into taffy then dragged into a building. I _had_ to do something."

"But that _something_  shouldn't be putting your life in danger," Peter said, reaching to pull a piece of rubble out of Harry's hair. "I would've survived."

"After the Rhino stepped on you?"

"I could've stopped him," Peter assured. Harry raised his eyebrows at Peter, turning his attention his phone. Peter let a minute pass before speaking up again. "Hare?"

"Okay, a White Rhino can weigh two and a half tons," Harry said, putting his phone down and crossing his arms, almost disappointed. "So that's like an Escalade. I thought they'd weigh more."

"I don't think the Rhino weighs as much as an actual rhino," Peter laughed. "I had enough time that I could've reacted. I'm a fast thinker."

"He could've really hurt you."

"He could've really hurt _you,"_ Peter said. "I can heal from near death, I don't -- I can't -- I just ... want you to be safe."

Harry nodded softly, knowing that he couldn't win this battle. "Have you ever broken any bones?"

"After the spider?" Peter said. "I mean, some ribs, but those don't take long for me to heal. Like, a week at the worst."

"But never broken an arm? Or like, fractured it?"

"I've probably sprained something before," Peter shrugged. "I've never had to put anything in a splint or a cast. Plus, I don't think -- uh -- Spider-Man could go into an urgent care and get a cast put on without proper identification."

"I just figured he'd make one out of web," Harry smirked. Hearing about Peter's lack of broken limbs made Harry feel a little better, but he hoped Peter would still be careful. "What movies are you guys watching tonight?"

"Uh, '21 Jump Street,' 'Austin Powers' and 'Central Intelligence,' " Peter listed, trying to remember if those were the titles that the suite had picked out for their movie night. "Speaking of, can I use you as an excuse to leave early?"

"Going for a ...  _run?"_ Harry asked.

"Yeah. That and to avoid social interaction."

Harry laughed. "Okay. Only if I can use you as an excuse to not end up staying the night at the penthouse."

"How terrible," Peter joked. "Yeah. Actually. Let's make that true. I mean, we don't have to _do anything._ And if you get uncomfortable, you can push me off onto the floor or I can leave or we can just not or --"

"Pete," Harry laughed. "I'd love for you to spend the night."

"Great," Peter smiled, leaning over for a quick kiss. "I can't tell you how many nights I've wanted to just ..." He sighed softly, realizing that it was a little weird, and maybe a little too clingy, to admit out loud. "... be in your arms after a patrol."

"Good because I missed you in my arms," Harry smiled. "Just -- uh -- don't crawl through the window bruised and battered, okay?"

"No promises," Peter laughed.

Harry slipped off his chair and pressed a soft kiss against Peter's cheek. "Let's head back to campus. I probably need to shower before dinner."

"Yeah, uh," Peter ran his fingers through Harry's hair, knocking dust and dirt out. "You're a bit dusty here."

Harry laughed. "Fuck off."

\----- 

"You're late," Norman said as Harry walked in the penthouse. Harry glanced at his watch.

"It's barely five," He said. "Dinner's at six?"

"Blood work at 4:30," Norman said, leading Harry back to the elevator.

"We do that on Wednesdays," Harry said, a little nervous. He has dropped to taking the serum to once a week, when he used to be reliant on it daily. He wanted to cut it down to half a pill, but he almost couldn't get away with that little serum in his body. He was already fighting back pain, he wasn't sure if he could fight back anymore withdraw symptoms. He's just glad that he could handle it much better than he used to. 

"We're moving to twice a week," Norman said, pulling Harry into the elevator. "Mondays and Fridays. Did I not tell you?"

"No, you didn't," Harry gritted his teeth.

"Is that a problem?" Norman raised his eyebrow. 

"It's not a problem," Harry sighed. It was definitely a problem. "A lot more needles than I'd like to have during my week."

"We wouldn't have to do this physically if you still had the watch."

The watch. Technology stolen from Fantastic Four, original for the Human Torch but modified for Harry Osborn. The watch read Harry's vitals from the warmth of his skin, tracking his serum level, temperature and heart rate. Harry destroyed the watch, throwing it away at the airport. He knew his father might have put a tracking device in the watch, he couldn't have him know his location.

Harry just shrugged, as he tried to think of an excuse of why his serum is so low. He watched the screen flash numbers as they descended, his dad's hand on his shoulder. "Peter and I are back together," Harry said softly.

"Are you?" Norman said, more than asked. "I'm glad to hear you talked with him."

"Yeah, it's like we, uh, _fell back_ into place again," Harry said, hoping his dad would jump to conclusions. If he can fool his dad that they were sexually active, then maybe he can explain that's why his serum level is so low. "We both don't have any night classes, so we ... uh ... have been using that time to catch up. And study, too. He's in my organic chemistry class."

"Oh, so he's attending Columbia, too?" Norman almost sounded more enthused about Peter was attending Columbia than the two getting back together. "Good for him. Let him know that there's always a spot open for an internship for him."

"Will do," Harry said quietly. He tapped his fingers against his leg, wondering if he should just try to get out out of the blood work entirely. He knew if he came clean, his dad would be livid. Would he force him to take the serum? Would he pull him out of college to keep tabs on him? Harry was enjoying the freedom he had at college ... well, the freedom of keeping his time under Norman's roof and control to a minimum of 5 hours a day. He enjoyed being himself for once. "I'll mention it to him next time I see him."

Norman nodded. Harry watched impatiently as the numbers of the screen changed, growing closer to the lab floor.

"Tonight," Harry said. "I'll see him tonight, I mean. I'll tell him tonight. He's spending the night in my dorm. Since, we're ... you know ... back together."

"Okay," Norman said. The elevator stopped, letting the two out. Norman lead Harry to one of the tables as Harry continued to awkwardly ramble.

"We're probably going to have sex," He said, slipping onto the lab's stool. "Again. Like we did earlier today. And yesterday. I mean, _we're together_. That's what couples do. You know, each --"

"Harry, I got it," Norman sighed loudly. He was hoping Harry would've stopped his trainwreck earlier. "Give me your arm so I can draw your blood and you can go get ready for dinner." 

Harry extended his arm, sighing in relief. At least Norman can think that his low serum levels are based off sudden rise of adrenaline.Except, now Harry wants to die after that conversation. He looked away from the blood leaving his body, biting his cheek as he realized he probably could have mentioned to his dad about pushing this off until after dinner, so he doesn't have to act like this conversation never happened while they had ... who did they have over for dinner? "Hey, who's coming for dinner again?"

"A few investors," Norman said as he slowly pulled the needle out of Harry's arm. "So, I'd like for you to put on your best Osborn show. Our genetics department needs the support."

Harry nodded, as he reached for a small red bandage, covering the spot. He slipped off the stool,gently rubbing his arm. "I'll go get changed then."

"You'd also might look for condoms while you're in your room," Norman said nonchalantly as he took the blood sample to the computer. "If you two are going at it like rabbits, you might as well have safe sex."

Harry turned bright red before turning away to head to the elevator. "Yeah, got it."

"Harry?"

Harry stopped in his place and turned to look at his dad, slightly nervous that he already had the blood results. "Yeah, dad?"

Norman pointed to his own collarbone, tapping it. "Cover it," He said sternly before turning back to the computer.

Harry raised an eyebrow, touching his own exposed collarbone. His soft pressure and the ache it caused left him more confused. As soon as he stepped into the elevator and the doors shut, he pulled out his phone and used his front facing camera as a mirror. A small reddish bruise peaked out from his shirt. Must have been from the today's ... incident. The building he stood in as he tried to pull the Rhino's attention away from Spider-Man was in shambles. He stood amongst broken bricks and chunks of cement. He was covered in dust. He was in such an adrenaline rush, he probably wouldn't have realized if debris had hit him. The more Harry thought about it ... the more it looked like a hickey.

He groaned. At least his story seemed believable. 

As much as Harry worried, dinner went surprisingly well. Steamed lobsters with grilled asparagus, covered in a buttered-herb sauce. It was like a dream in his mouth. He had planned on skipping dessert, taking his serving back to campus to share with Peter. If they were lucky, maybe there was enough for two servings.

"How did you survive your first campus lockdown, Harry?" One of the investors asked.

"What?" Harry asked, caught off guard.

 _"What?"_   Norman asked accusingly, turning his attention directly to Harry.

"With the big gray man, the one in thick armor?" Mr. Walters said, using his fork to try to gesture. "He goes by an animal name. Hippo? Elephant?"

"The Rhino," Norman completed, eyes locked on Harry.

"Yes!" Mr. Walters said. "Heard he tried to rob a bank in the Upper West Side before that Spider-Guy stopped him. Could you see from campus?"

"I -- uh -- wasn't on campus," Harry admitted, taking small glances toward his dad. "I was out on a date at Birch Coffee."

"On Columbus? That would've been across the street," Mr. Walters said, making matters worse. Harry could feel Norman stares start to burn.

"Uh, yeah," Harry said. "We tried to steer clear of the trouble."

"I heard there was a hostage situation for a bit," one of the other investors, Mr. Rosales, said. "It was that Spider-Man. I don't trust that guy."

"I heard that, too," Mr. Walters spoke up. He turned to Harry, pointed his fork accusingly, but his tone was light. "Was it you?"

"Oh -- oh no," Harry said awkwardly. "I promised my father that I would stay out of trouble." He shot a small smile at his dad, who was still grilling him with his stare. He knew his dad wasn't believing him as much as the investors were. Harry put an asparagus into his mouth to avoid talking anymore.

"You better be careful," Mr. Walters laughed. "It seems like trouble follows everyone around New York."

"Especially with that menace," Mr. Rosales said.

"It sounds like it," Norman said cautiously, watching Harry. Harry nodded, chewing. Thank God for asparagus. Norman nodded back, turning his attention back to the investors, and flashed the Osborn smile. "How about dessert?"

\-----

21:35

_H: I'm heading back to campus_

_H: I'm bringing dessert, I hope you're hungry_

_P: Dinner lasted that long?_

_H: I got lectured._

_H: A safe sex talk_

_P: oh god_

_H: I'm honestly dead from embarrassment_

_P: I'll miss you_

_P: Can I have your french press?_

_H: fuck you, mourn me first_

_P: I'll see you about 11? 11:30?_

_H: ok sounds good_

_P: Don't text and drive_

_H: sorry couldn't hear you over my multilane car crash_

_P: fuck you_

As soon as Harry got back to the dorm, he put the dessert into the fridge, knowing he still had at least an hour before Peter arrived. He attempted to change, tossing his shirt and pants into his laundry basket, quickly getting distracted by his phone. He laid on the bed in his underwear, waited for Peter as he scrolled through Instagram. 

It wasn't much more than a few minutes after 11 before Harry heard a few gentle knocks against his door. He quickly jumped off his bed, tossing his phone aside as he rushed to the door to let a hoodie-clad Peter in.

"Out saving the world in sweats?" Harry smirked, shutting the door behind him. Peter tossed his bag to the side, quickly wrapping his arms around Harry's bare torso.

"Honestly, if I didn't have to worry about my sweats falling off, that would be like Heaven," Peter grinned. He glanced down at Harry's lack of clothing. "I feel overdressed."

"We can change that," Harry grinned, putting his hands on Peter's waist before slipping them under his hoodie to feel ... a weird material. He wrinkled his brow, focusing his attention on his fingertips before it hit him. His eyes widened as he looked back up at Peter, who was smirking. "I wasn't expecting that."

"I figured changing here would be easier than an alleyway," Peter said.

"More sanitary, too," Harry mumbled, as he ran his fingertips along the suit.

"Here," Peter said, letting go of Harry for a few seconds to slip off his hoodie, tossing it aside to expose the suit. Wearing his suit without his mask always felt wrong to Peter. He always tried to keep his two identities separate, and with the mask gone, the two identities slip into one. It reminded Peter how careful he needed to be with his secret. He was just glad he could finally talk to Harry about Spider-Man.

Harry's touch hovered over Peter's sides as soon as the suit was revealed. Under the hoodie, it felt like a secret that only his fingertips knew. But as soon as that familiar red and blue was exposed, it made everything too real. Harry's breath hitched before his hands found their place back on Peter, one traveling up to his chest, following the web pattern up to the spider. "God, _you're Spider-Man,"_  he breathed.

Peter laughed. Hard. He almost forgot how to breathe. Something about Harry's sincere tone threw Peter off-guard. This is how he wanted it to go. He wanted Harry to find out about his second identity in such a less dramatic way than he did. He wanted Harry to be surprised and thrown speechless in awe, instead of in a panic of pain. Peter pressed his forehead against Harry's. "This is how it could've been," he said softly. "I'm sorry I should've --"

Harry leaned in, closing the space between them for a kiss. He kept one hand against Peter's chest and the other around his waist. "It doesn't matter what it could've been," He whispered. "This is how it is now." He pulled Peter toward the bed. "Come on, I didn't get to makeout with Spider-Man on the rooftop, we might as well --"

"I fucking knew it," Peter grinned.

\-----

Since Harry left Oscorp for the night, Norman spent every free moment in the lab with a large craft of coffee nearby. As soon as Harry left the lab, the blood test quickly showed his lack of serum. Even with Harry being sexually active, his levels shouldn't be this low without symptoms and Harry showed no physical signs of symptoms. 

Norman watched Harry like a hawk during dinner, trying to see if he was hiding any symptoms, but Harry seemed ... normal. Maybe a little on edge, but Norman was watching him a little tighter than normal.

After running Harry's vitals through a few more tests, Norman thought about the dinner conversation about the Rhino and Spider-Man and how off Harry seemed about that specific topic. 

Norman picked up his phone, quickly scrolling through the contacts. He pressed the phone to his ear and waited. "Good, you're still up," He said. "I need a favor. Can you find me traffic footage from Columbus and 96th? ... Well, I'd like to have that by tonight, but as soon as you can." He waited a few moments before sighing, reaching for a sticky note and a pen. "A healthy sum could get that footage sooner rather than later, correct? ... That's what I'd like to hear. Oh, and under the table is _a necessity_ for this deal."


	9. 'I'm back, and I'm here to stay.'

College was supposed to be less structured than high school, right? A time to discover who you are and who you want to be once you graduate.

Peter already knew what he wanted to be **:** less stressed.

He's taking 17 credit hours, one of those being a seminar and another his PE course. He needed to maintain a 3.5 GPA to keep his full-ride scholarship (which was a must). He had his job at the Daily Bugle. He had to patrol as much as he could ... but he also wanted to spend his free time with Harry.

Squeezed onto Harry's twin mattress, the couple decided that they should really only spend the nights on the weekends, to try to keep their focus on school work during the week. They both knew if they stayed in the same room, they'd both miss their 9 a.m. class. But those two nights together made Sunday night a lonely sleep. Peter had to use the loud snores of his suitemate to help lull him to sleep (or convince him to sleep). Harry took an oxycodone to help.

Peter felt better about his sleepless night as soon as he saw his bedhead boyfriend rush into the lecture hall with two cups of coffee. "Extra shot of espresso," he said, handing the cup to Peter. He used his free hand to wipe the sleep from his eye. "We might have to rethink our rule."

"I wish," Peter said, taking a sip of his coffee. "It's hard enough to make it on time to this class anyway."

"Try having an 8 a.m.," Harry groaned, half wanting to down his coffee but also wanting to savor it. "Tuesdays and Thursdays are going to be the death of me."

"I wouldn't be surprised if our caffeine intake didn't kill us first," Peter said, taking in the warmth of his cup on his palms. He leaned over pressing a quick kiss on Harry's cheek. "Grazie, amore mio."

Harry leaned his head back, taking a deep sigh before looking longingly at Peter. "I know there's a good broom closet down the hall if you want to --"

"I can't tell if you're joking."

The couple tried their best to make their schedules work, waiting for one to get out of class before going to lunch or trying to make it back on campus in time to eat supper together.

But some days, it felt as if that was the only time they were getting to spend together during the week before one of them grabbed an extra piece of fruit to run off to their obligations. ("We're running the research by the investors today to help increase funding. I think I might be presenting." "I heard rumors about the Vulture flying free again. Plus, a big shipment of government property is arriving tonight. I need to make sure they're not in the same place.") It made their weekend study sessions and sleepovers something to look forward to.

So getting a classwide email Thursday afternoon about their morning lab cancelled felt like the weekend came early.

"So, I don't have any classes until 11 tomorrow," Peter grinned, setting his dinner plate down next to Harry. "We could ... bend the rule a little."

"My PE course is at 10 tomorrow, but I could skip it," Harry grinned, taking a bite of his pasta.

"You only have that once a week," Peter rolled his eyes.

"I could still skip it."

"You're going," Peter said as he scooped food into his mouth. "I'll be at your place at 11?"

"Yeah, sounds good," Harry said. "If you come earlier, we can pop in a movie."

Peter hesitated before nodding. Spider-Man has patrolled a lot this week, and pretty late too. One Thursday night wouldn't be too bad. "Yeah. We can do that."

\-----

Only an hour into patrolling and Peter was about to call it a night. He was tired and every time he responded to a call, the police were quickly behind him, ready to handle the situation without the vigilante. 

He pulled out his phone, about to send a text to Harry as shivers went up his back.

He quickly turned around and barely dodged an attack from the Goblin.

"You again?" Spider-Man said, casting a web to another building, trying to get a better angle against the Goblin. "You're not planning to blow up another apartment building are you? What do you have against apartment buildings? I mean, except for the constant rise in rent rates, but that's no reason to physically blow up --"

"Do you ever stop talking?" The Goblin snapped. God, his voice sent shivers down Peter's back. 

No shit, Spider-Sense.

Spider-Man quickly shot a web, pulling the glowing orb away from him and sending it back toward the Goblin -- except it didn't feel right. He quickly shot another web, pulling it back to let it explode in between the two.

The Goblin stood still, almost surprised that Spider-Man saved him from his own bomb.

"Who are you?" Spider-Man asked, quickly acting, hoping that he could web up the Goblin before he realized his vulnerable state.

But he did, he moved quickly out of the way. "The Goblin," He jeered."Don't you remember me?"

"I ... stopped you," Spider-Man said, almost uneasy. This couldn't be Harry, he left him on campus. But his voice sounded so ... familiar. "I stopped the Goblin." He said again, more confident, shooting another web at the Goblin.

The Goblin grabbed it, yanking Spider-Man in. He grabbed Spider-Man, giving a quick squeeze to his palm, sending shocks throughout Spider-Man's body. Peter yelped. "Did you, now?" The Goblin laughed, dropping a paralyzed Spider-Man on the rooftop. He reached to his side, pulling a small vial out, sticking the needle into Spider-Man's leg. "If you did, then why am I back?"

Peter was trying to pull himself back together. "That's what -- what I'm trying to figure out," Spider-Man said, starting to push back. The Goblin quickly moved, putting his knee on Spider-Man's chest.

"Oh no," He teased. "I need a full sample."

"For super soldiers?" Spider-Man could feel himself regain his strength. He needed to stall for just a moment longer before he could lay a punch on the Goblin.

The Goblin laughed, moving his knee and pressing his palm flat against Spider-Man's chest. "I'll just let you know, I'm back and I'm here to stay," He started, pushing down on Spider-Man's chest, sending more volts through Peter's body. Spider-Man jolted, smacking the back of his head against the ground. His vision faded out as the Goblin's voice filled his ears. "But are you?"

\-----

"Fuck," Peter said, jolting up and quickly placing his hands on the back of his head, trying to rub the pain away. He blinked a few times as his sight faded back in, fully expecting to be in an Oscorp lab.

But he was still on the rooftop in his suit and mask. He ran his hand down his chest and sighed. _'I'm back, and here to stay.'_ That wasn't Harry ... right? God, it sounded so familiar, just like the original Goblin but ... but Harry said that he left the Goblin behind him. That Project Green was done. But why was the Goblin here? Harry had to know ... right? Oscorp had its secrets, but Harry knew them.

He pulled out his phone and sent a quick text to Harry.

_P: Hey we need to talk_

_H: About?_

_P: I'll tell you when I see you_

_P: Are you at the dorm?_

_P: I'll be there soon_

_H: No_

_H: Give me 30 and i'll meet you there._

Peter hesitated to text back. Something didn't feel right.

\-----

Peter waited outside of Harry's dorm room, trying to figure out what he was going to ask. Half of him was curious where Harry was at, letting his mind wonder if Harry may have been at Oscorp.

No.

He was done for the day. Harry had promised himself that he wasn't going to stay past regular hours to avoid anything like this happening again.

But could he have gone back?

"Hey, Pete," Harry said, from down the hall. He half-jogged and reached down to pull Peter up. "You done with your run this early?"

"Uh, yeah," Peter said, rubbing the back of his head unconsciously. "I had ... something I wanted to ask you."

"What is it?"

"Can we go in your room?" Peter said quietly. "It's ... a little private."

"Yeah, of course," Harry said, unlocking the door and leading Peter inside. As soon as the door shut, Peter took a deep breath, trying to focus his thoughts. Shit, maybe he had a concussion.

"I saw the Goblin."

"What?" Harry asked, tossing his bag to the floor.

"I saw the Goblin," Peter repeated, dropping his bag next to Harry's. "He took a blood sample. He ... I ... Is the project still ongoing?"

"No," Harry said. "I told you that."

"Then why was he here?" Peter asked, almost accusingly. "He said he was back."

"Do you think I'm hiding something?" Harry said, following his tone. "Pete, I'd tell you if I knew anything --"

"But have you _heard anything_ at Oscorp? Rumors of stolen property or the project reopening?"

"Pete --"

"I'm serious," Peter said. "I saw him. He attacked me today. He attacked me last week. I know this is --"

"Last week?" Harry asked. "You didn't mention that."

"I thought it was a copy cat."

"Then why are you assuming the one you saw today belong to Oscorp?" Harry said, crossing his arms. "I promise you, the project's closed. Oscorp's done with that."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because my dad promised," Harry said, reaching his hands out for Peter to take. He wanted to pull Peter in an embrace. He waited, noticing Peter's hesitation. "Can't you take my word?"

"Where you were you?" Peter asked.

"What?"

"Just now, where were you?"

Harry wrinkled his brow. He reached down and picked up Peter's bag, extending it to him. "I think you should go."

"Are you hiding something?" Peter asked, raising his voice.

"No, but if I tell you, I don't think you'd believe me," Harry said accusingly, shoving the bookbag into Peter's chest. Peter winced, his chest still sore from the electric shock. Harry's guard dropped, realizing what he did. He let go of the bookbag and stepped backward. "Pete, I'm -- You should go."

"Hare --"

"You should go," He repeated, leaning back onto his desk. His attention focused on the ground.

"Harry --"

"I was tutoring the Human Torch in biology," Harry said. His eyes moved from the ground to look at Peter. "There. Now go. Come back when _my boyfriend_ returns, alright?"

Peter pressed his lips together and swung the bag's strap over his shoulder. "Alright." He opened the door, glancing back at Harry with an apology ready at his tongue ... but he shut his mouth and left. Harry was right, Peter didn't believe him.


	10. 'Let's go for a talk, shall we?'

Peter hoped that he could catch Harry at lunch and apologize.

He shouldn't have came at him about the Goblin. He should've realized that Harry wouldn't have anything to do with it. But everything was off-putting. The Goblin's return. The Goblin's voice. Harry's excuse. It just ... didn't feel right to Peter.

But he searched the dining hall, searching the sea of college students for Harry, but couldn't find him anywhere. Peter sighed and found a small table to sit at. 

He tried texting him, but every single text was left unanswered.

He tried calling, only to get his voicemail.

He even went to the dorm and knocked on the door before one of his neighbors informed Peter that he had left for the night. 

"I think he went home for the weekend," the guy said, gesturing to the door. "Or camping. His backpack was packed, like, pretty hefty."

"Huh," Peter said. "Okay. Thanks."

Outside of his own dorm, Peter sat on a bench and called Harry again, this time leaving a voicemail.

"Hey. I just wanted to call and apologize. I really shouldn't have came after you like that. I -- I don't know what got to me." He paused, glancing toward Harry's dorm. "One of your neighbors said you left with your bag? You're not ... leaving again, are you? Hare, I just -- we just got back into place. And I'm sorry that I fucked that up. Please -- Please don't go." Peter hesitated to find an end of his message, before hanging up. 

He stood up and sighed, wiping at his eyes, keeping any tears that may have been forming at bay. Maybe a patrol would help clear his mind. 

It wasn't until a couple hours later that he could feel his mind come to an ease.

23:12

_H: I'm still in town. I'll talk to you Sunday._

_P: I'm out and about if you want to talk now._

_H: Sunday._

Peter sighed. Maybe it was time to call it a night.

\-----

A loud alarm woke Peter up early. He reached for his phone, soon realizing it wasn't his. He covered his head with the pillow as it continued for a few more minutes before he heard someone yell at Ezra to "wake the fuck up." Soon, it was silenced. 

Peter got up a few hours later, realizing how rough it was to fight others for the shared bathroom on a Saturday morning. It wasn't the worst thing in the world, but he didn't realize that every one of his suitemates would want to shower at the same time.

"Sorry, just got back from practice," Erza said, already sopping wet before he jumped in the shower.

"Sorry, gotta make it on time to _practice_ ," Daniel said. Peter wasn't sure what exactly he meant, until he watched Daniel leave with a scriptbook. 

"Sorry, got a hot date," Johnny winked as he jumped into the shower before Peter. Peter sighed before Johnny started to talk to him while he was in the shower. "Well, technically it's not a date. I mean, it's a study date, but I don't think it's a _date_ -date."

"Did they say it was a date?" Peter said as he dug around the cabinet looking for his shaving cream. He might as well do something if he's going to sit here and talk with his suitemate. 

"I mean, kind of," Johnny said. "But it's more like, 'Hey would Saturday work?' _'Uh, yeah sure. It's a date.'_ " Johnny lowered his voice to distinguish the difference between his words and the other guy's. He sighed loudly before sticking his soapy head out of the shower. "Does it sound like a date?"

"Kind of," Peter shrugged, as he carefully ran the razor down his cheek. "Is it at the library?"

"No, a coffee shop."

"Date," Peter nodded.

"I suggested it," Johnny said, sticking his head back into the shower.

"Maybe not a date," Peter said cautiously. "You can ask. You know."

"God I just wish ..." He sighed before grabbing his towel and wrapped up. "He's probably straight. I just won't think much about it."

"Good luck," Peter said, as he washed his face and beelined for the shower.

"Hey, that's cold water now," Johnny called from the other room. "Just a heads up."

"Shit, okay," Peter was planning to go see Aunt May today. Maybe he'll patrol for a bit this afternoon and shower at home. He sighed, running his hand through his hair. It could handle a bit longer. "Thanks." 

After Johnny left, Peter changed into his suit, quickly throwing loose clothing over it. He slung his bookbag over his shoulder and headed out. He didn't expect much crime to be happening right now. He expected it to pick up later this evening. Saturday nights are usually pretty busy. Plus, he needed a reason to get his mind off of Harry.

\-----

"Hey Harry!"

Harry looked up from his notebook and smiled. "Hey. Glad to see you're not dead."

"Hah. Funny," Johnny said, slinging his bookbag into the chair across from Harry. "I'm actually still in the first stage of grief and pretending that physics test didn't happen."

"I'm pretty sure nobody was ready for that," Harry laughed. "I've already ordered. I wasn't sure if you liked coffee."

"Like? No. Need? Yes," Johnny said, as he went to the counter to get a drink. As soon as they both had their coffees in hand and Johnny's assignment spread out on the table, they got to work.

"How is this the gen. ed biology?" Harry groaned. He had biology next semester, and he hoped that he didn't have the same professor.

"Honestly, no clue," Johnny said. "Thanks for helping me with this, by the way."

"No problem," Harry said, flipping through the pages of Johnny's textbook. "Thanks for rescheduling."

"Yeah, no problem," Johnny said, studying Harry for a moment before turning his attention back to his work. "It sounded important."

"Something like that," Harry said softly, as he found the section on ecosystems. He wished his conversation was Peter ended differently, but some part of him told him that it would be for the best. Maybe they weren't meant to date anymore now their secrets were out. "How many of these do you have to do?"

"They're due every Monday," Johnny groaned. "When I said, 'Hey, I don't care what elective science course you think would be best. Just not biology.' I thought I had stressed not biology part of it."

"You'd think they'd listen."

"I _think_ my brother-in-law had something to do with it," Johnny rolled his eyes. "Reed's always sticking his nose in places where it doesn't belong."

Harry opened his mouth to ask why Reed would put him in the biology course, when he saw Johnny's attention move from Harry and his soft expression harden. He knew that look. He knew it from Peter. He turned around to look out the front window. Dr. Octopus stood patiently, as if he was waiting for somebody to leave the coffee shop. As soon as Harry locked eyes, Otto Octavius grinned sinisterly.

"Hey, do me a favor," Johnny whispered, standing up from the table. "Call 911. Say that Doc Ock is here. Reed's got a system set and we can have backup."

"Yeah. Got it," Harry said, reaching for his bag. As soon as he touched the device, a mix of glass breaking and frightened screams filled his ears. He instinctively turned to look as a long, metal arm grabbed his shirt and pulled him forward. He had no time to grab for anything, no time to yell, hardly any time to breathe. Otto had him in his grasp, holding Harry a few feet in front of him. 

"Let's go for a talk, shall we?" Otto grinned, pulling Harry away. "But don't think I haven't forgot about your _friend."_

Another one of his arms quickly followed its original path into the coffee shop, reaching to grasp Johnny.  In a split second, Johnny dodged the arm, ignited himself on fire and darted out of the coffee shop.

"Oh, _this one,"_ Doc Ock said, almost disappointed at the Human Torch's appearance. Instead of pulling his arm back, he reached in the cafe further.

"Let him go," Johnny said. Harry started to wiggle, trying to fight his way out of his grip. He can't keep having superheroes save him. He's gotta fight for himself --

Doc Ock tightened his grip on Harry. Harry gasped, stopping instantly. The metal claw dug into his sides. 

"Ock!"

"Sorry, couldn't hear you over the explosion." Before Johnny could react, Otto reeled in his arm, fire extinguisher in claw and swung it toward Johnny. Harry closed his eyes and flinched, waiting to hear the canister explode. Instead, he heard Otto mumble, "Fuck."

He opened his eyes. The extinguisher was gone. Johnny still remained in flames. He glanced at Otto, following his line of sight to Spider-Man on a rooftop, with the extinguisher in hand.

"You know that pressurized cans and fires don't go well together, right?" Spider-Man asked, tossing the extinguisher aside on the rooftop, covering it with webs for safe keeping. "Oh, shoot. That was the point, wasn't it?"

Johnny took Spider-Man's quips as cover, quickly flying toward Doc Ock.

Otto moved a free metal arm, taking aim at Johnny. Spider-Man shot a web toward that arm, pulling it away from his partner-against-crime. Doc Ock quickly snapped the web, dodging another attack from Johnny. He pulled Harry in closer, almost as if he was protecting his prize possession ... before realizing he had power over both of the superheroes. Otto quickly shifted his weight to the metal arms, standing taller as he extended Harry high into the air.

Harry yelped.

Johnny stopped.

Harry wiggled, wanting to fight Dr. Octopus's grip, but instantly stopped when he realized he was higher than the street lights.

"Ah, so you can see that this height is dangerous," Otto said. "For a second, I thought you were second guessing the danger of this situation."

Harry bit his lip. He almost didn't want to talk, in case Otto decides he's not worth his time and drops him. He shot a quick look at Spider-Man, hoping for some desperately needed help.

"Ock, didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with your food?" Spider-Man said, swinging into action when he realized that Johnny wasn't going to step forward. "Not that you're food. Despite how he looks, he's not actually going to --" Peter stopped. He stuck to a side of a building, eyes wide at Harry. "Oh, fuck."

"So, we're all on the same page, now? Good," Otto grinned. With Harry still in the air, Otto started to walk away from the heroes. "The young Osborn and I need to have a talk in private about an investment in my project."

"I -- I don't have control of the funds," Harry said, suddenly regretting his words. He knew as soon as he was worthless to Dr. Octopus, he would drop him. He kept his eyes glued on Spider-Man, hoping that Peter had a plan.

"Yes, but your father does," Otto said. "And you are his direct line."

Peter watched from the building, knowing he had to do something. He couldn't let Doc Ock get away. He couldn't let Doc Ock kidnap Harry. Spider-Man glanced at the Human Torch, giving a soft nod hoping to signal that he was going to spring into action, before turning his attention back to Harry. 

Spider-Man shot a web to the arm that was holding Harry and yanked, causing enough force that it caused Doc Ock to let go of Harry. The Human Torch darted to the falling Osborn, ready to extinguish his flames to catch him. Harry barely had enough time to react, only extending his reach upward to try to grab on to Otto's arm.

Doc Ock shifted his weight to one arm, using the webbed arm to knock the Human Torch away into a neighboring building. His newly freed arm grabbed Harry by his.

"Is that how we're doing this?" Otto said, turning his attention to Spider-Man. "Nobody was going to be hurt. Everything was going to go smoothly and I was going to get my funding." Doc Ock moved the webbed arm, knocking down the Human Torch again. He raised a terrified Harry up high, hanging him by his left arm.

"Just hang on," Spider-Man called, searching for a plan. He knew as soon as he leaped, a metal arm was going to come right at him. He needed to figure out how he was going to save Harry and it looked like a distraction wasn't going to work if Doc Ock could keep his attention on Spider-Man while keeping the Human Torch at bay. "Everything's going to be okay."

 _"Everything's fine,"_   Doc Ock mocked, following Spider-Man's assuring tone. "It's not like he's dangling forty feet in the air by his --" Otto stopped, moving his attention away from the ongoing scene. A few seconds later, his attitude changed, almost more sinister as if he got his way. "It seems like I'm done here," He turned his attention to Harry. "We will have to discuss the funding another day. But for now --" The metal claw around Harry's arm tightened, squeezing out a loud crack.

Harry screamed.

"-- You'll have something to remember me by," Doc Ock lowered Harry, tossing him aside in the rubble of the building.

Peter knew he needed to follow Ock. He was escaping and fast. But ... he couldn't. Not right now. He swung his way to Harry, where Johnny was already comforting him. 

"Hey, are you okay?" Spider-Man asked, kneeling down beside Harry, gently caressing his cheek. 

"I -- I can't feel my arm," Harry's voice barely louder than a whisper. He leaned into Spider-Man's hand. He flinched with every sharp breath. "Everything hurts but I -- I can't feel it."

"Hey, hey, hey," Spider-Man said softly as he stroked Harry's face. "Everything will be okay, we just need to get you to the hospital." He looked up at Johnny. "Hey can you call --"

"It sounds like the police is already coming," Johnny said, noting the sounds of sirens approaching. "Is it safe for them? Did you stop Doc Ock?"

"He -- He got away," Spider-Man said, returning his attention to Harry. "I ... I had to check in."

Johnny pressed his lips together. He hasn't worked with Spider-Man a lot, but he knew Spider-Man wasn't usually the one to let the bad guy get off so easily. His eyes glanced to Harry's good hand, noticing his and Spider-Man's fingers intertwined. "I'll go get your stuff from inside," Johnny said, standing up. "Can you make a sling out of webs? Honestly, would be much better if you actually met the paramedics outside of the building." He pointed to the rubble and the broken support beams. "This is another accident waiting to happen."

"Yeah, we can try that," Spider-Man said, as he moved his hands away from Harry to create a condensed web. It almost seemed better to web Harry's arm in place to his chest than to put his arm in a sling without the support of a splint. He cautiously helped Harry sit up. Harry flinched, gasping at the pain. "Hey. Slow."

"Easy for you to say," Harry groaned. He gave a small smile as he leaned into Spider-Man as he helped him stand up. "God. I'm glad you're omnipresent."

"I wish trouble would stop finding you," Spider-Man said, wrapping his arm around Harry cautiously as he helped him walk out of the building. "So the Human Torch?"

"Biology," Harry said softly. "Someone interrupted our study session the other day."

"God I'm so dumb --"

"I could've told you that."

"No, not that -- I mean. _He's my suitemate._ " ~~Oh my god they were suitemates.~~ "I just -- never connected the dots. I don't think I ever heard his last name."

Harry laughed -- before cringing in pain. "Fuck, I --" He wheezed.

"I think you broke some ribs."

"Thanks, Dr. Parker --" Harry stopped. "Shit. Sorry."

"You're fine," Spider-Man said. "I'll let you off the hook." He stopped as soon as they were out on the sidewalk. His eyes darted to the flashing red and blue lights. Thank God, there was an ambulance called. "Hey, text me later, okay?" He whispered as he helped Harry walk to the ambulance.

"You're not coming?"

"I -- I can't, Hare," Spider-Man whispered. God. Peter wanted to be in that ambulance with him, but ... Peter couldn't with this mask on.

Harry nodded gently. The paramedics took Harry from Spider-Man and checked his arm, careful of the webbing. Johnny caught up, handing the bag to one of the paramedics. The paramedics shooed the two vigilantes away. "We need to get him to the hospital. Please, go talk with the officers about the incident."

Spider-Man and Johnny nodded as they started to walk to the police officers.

"Hey, I don't usually do this," Spider-Man said, stopping in the middle of the road.

"Do what?" Johnny asked. "Make out with the damsels-in-distress?"

"What? No!" Spider-Man said, quickly getting defensive. "I meant talk to the police. I'm going to bail out." He paused for a second before lowering his voice. "Wait, are we obvious?"

"Well, I mean," Johnny said, turning to face Spider-Man. "I don't normally stroke a stranger's face and let the bad guy get away. But you do you." He ignited, quickly taking off.

"Shit," Peter mumbled, quickly taking off after him as the police officers yelled for them to return.

\-----

As soon as Peter arrived at home, Aunt May pulled him in for a hug.

She heard what happened to Harry on the television. She told Peter about the video clips that the news station obtained. It hurt Peter to rehear everything, knowing Harry got hurt under his guard. He couldn't stop Doc Ock.  _He didn't stop him_. He could feel himself slowly wash over with anger.

"Please be careful out there," Aunt May said, leaning up to press a soft kiss against his forehead. "Maybe we need to get you pepper spray."

Peter nodded, biting his cheek. He needed to cool down. "Yeah. Maybe."

"Go take your shower," May said, pushing him out of the kitchen. "I'll start on supper."

Peter nodded and went upstairs. He started the shower, letting the water warm as he fidgeted with his phone. He opened the messaging app, starting a text.

_To: N. Osborn;_

_P: I heard about Harry. Is he okay?_

He hovered over the send button for a few seconds before sending the text message. He set his phone aside and reached to test the water temperature. Still cold.

His phone buzzed almost instantly with a text from Harry.

_H: Radius and ulna are broken, clean breaks_

_H: Still doing surgery, for nerves_

_H: but I had part of a coffee before Doc Ock showed up_

_H: So I have to wait another hour_

_H: Thank God I didn't get a latte or i'd be waiting five_

_P: I'm glad you're okay enough to text me_

_H: I'm glad you texted me and not my dad._

_P: To be fair, I thought you would be in surgery now._

_P: Or getting a cast on._

_H: God I wish._

_P: I'm so sorry._

_H: You did what you could_

_H: God, I wish you were here._

_P: Want me to come over tonight? Aunt May will understand._

_H: I'm staying overnight._

_H: But tomorrow_

_H: Please._

_P: Absolutely._

\-----

Harry's eyes fluttered open, closing instantly again with exhaustion. The new weight on his arm told him he was out of surgery, and he missed putting on the cast. The morphine still flowed through his blood stream, masking all of his pain. He could feel a warm comfort against his cheek. He opened his eyes drowsily, glanced to the side, smiling as he leaned into the hand numb against his skin. "Thanks, Spidey," He said softly, closing his eyes again. "I love you."

Norman stroked his son's cheek as he fell back asleep. He stood up from his chair and walked to the other side of the hospital room, pulling out his phone. Pressing it to his ear, he waited for the other to pick up. "I got my answers," He said quietly. "And you got your funding. But I need you to do one more thing for me."


	11. 'Relax, Spider-Guy.'

Peter spent his Saturday evening searching for Doc Ock.

He needed Otto Octavius behind bars. He needed him locked away. He needed Harry safe.

Peter could feel the anger run through his veins. He knew he needed to find a place to stop and take a deep breath, but he couldn't. He needed to press on and find Doc Ock. God, he needed to work more on his technology projects he keeps pushing back. A tracker would come in handy, right about now.

His attention was pulled away from his search for Doc Ock with every siren in the distance. Granted, half of the time he wondered if it was Doc Ock causing the trouble, but with one earbud in listening to his police scanner app, he knew he wasn't going to find Doc Ock at the end of the sirens.

He knew he needed to calm down. His anger was getting to him.

His punches landed harder than he meant to, no matter who he was fighting. Some of the vulture's goons? Hard hits. Bank robbers? Hard hits. Bodega thief? Hard hit.

He even threw some hard punches during a drug bust along side the NYPD. While the officers were trying to figure out how to get the dealers off of the brick wall, Spider-Man heard something in the distance, quickly taking off before any officers could ask questions.

With a large swing, he kicked the runner off balance and onto the ground.

"Hey, what the fuck?" The confused man asked, pulling his headphones out. "I thought you were, like, a good guy or something?"

"Oh shit, sorry," Spider-Man said, helping the man up. "I thought you were running away."

"From my problems, yeah, sure," He said, rubbing his side. "Fuck man, that was hard."

"Sorry," Spider-Man said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I've been fighting mine."

"Yeah, I learned the hard way that doesn't work," The man said. "Usually ends covered in bruises."

"But if I don't, someone else will," Spider-Man said.

"Your situation is different," The man said, gesturing to the suit. "But person to person? Talking about your problems is way better than trying to fight them all."

"That's not the New Yorker spirit," Spider-Man joked.

"Transplant," The man smirked. He put his headphones back in, and started to jog away. He pointed back at Spider-Man, "Take a few deep breathes or take the night off or some shit. Drink a beer. Relax, Spider-Guy. And find someone to talk to."

"It's Spider-Man," Peter sighed. The jogger was right. He needed to talk to somebody about what's going on. He wanted to talk with Harry, but he was recovering from his surgery and Peter probably wouldn't see him until tomorrow evening. God, he wished he had someone else to talk to.

A quick dash of light flew above him. Maybe Johnny Storm is who he needed to talk to ... but as Peter or as Spider-Man?

Peter sighed as he followed him, calling after the flamehead.

Soon, Johnny stopped, finding a nice ledge to sit on.

"I have a name you know," Johnny said, rolling his eyes as he dug into his paper sack. "And it's not Flamehead or Matchstick."

"You still responded," Spider-Man sat beside him. "Hey, I need -- I need to talk about earlier."

"About Doc Ock or about Harry?" Johnny said, pulling out a chocolate donut from the bag. He glanced at Spider-Man, extending the donut out for him.

"No thanks, I -- Actually, yeah. Yeah, thanks," Spider-Man said, taking the donut. "About Doc Ock. Well, more about Harry -- well. About both."

"Alright, shoot," Johnny said taking a bite of his strawberry donut. 

"Did I break Harry's arm?"

"What?" Johnny asked, muffled by half of his donut in his mouth. Spider-Man stared at him, not wanting to repeat his question. Johnny finished the food in his mouth. "No. Of course not."

"But did I cause Doc Ock to break his arm?" Spider-Man asked, his attention focused lazily on the donut in his hands.

Johnny opened and closed his mouth. They tried to ambush Doc Ock and failed. Doc Ock regrabbed Harry by his arm, which he then broke before throwing Harry aside. If they would've let him go and kidnapped Harry, he might have been safer. But they couldn't have known that. "You can't think like that."

"Would he have been safer if I just didn't --"

"He was a target," Johnny said plainly. "We don't know what Doc Ock would've done if we let him get away."

Spider-Man nodded before lifting the bottom half of his mask, taking a bite of his donut. "I just --" Spider-Man started, a little muffled with the donut. "Wonder sometimes, if he's safer without me."

"As a human or as a make-out buddy?" Johnny said, studying Spider-Man.

"As a boy -- _as both_ ," Spider-Man said, unsure if he should clarify that Harry was his boyfriend.

"As a make-out buddy? Yeah, probably," Johnny said, digging in the bag for another donut. "I mean, if you're like that around bad guys a lot, yeah, you're going to pull him into a lot of trouble." Spider-Man slumped. Johnny knocked his shoulder against Spider-Man's. "But as a human? He's safer. Way safer probably. Can you imagine how that would've played out if we weren't there? Actually, don't. You're going to have an anxiety attack because of it."

"Yeah," Spider-Man said softly, as he took another bite of his donut. "... This stays between us?"

"The conversation?" Johnny said, blueberry donut in mouth.

Spider-Man opened his mouth, closing it before finding his words. "Harry and I?"

"Oh, yeah, sure," Johnny said, wiping the crumbs from his mouth. "But I mean, you gotta be more careful around him. Like, less obvious. You know, being less touchy and don't make out on rooftops."

"Make out on rooftops?"

"Yeah, I read something about that online last week," Johnny said. "Except they just said that you took someone captive and made out with them before releasing them to the wild, but that was on some third-party celebrity blog."

"Oh god," Spider-Man sighed, leaning back and remembering kissing Harry on the rooftop after saving him from the Rhino. "I'm a mess."

"A PR mess," Johnny corrected as he crumpled up the paper bag. He lit the wad of paper on fire, letting it burn in the palm of his hand before releasing the ashes. "Do you always keep your mask on?"

"I mean for the most part."

"In the shower?"

"Yes," Spider-Man deadpanned. 

"During sex?"

"I -- What? No," Spider-Man laughed.

"So do you make him wear a blind fold?"

"What?" Spider-Man laughed again. "Fuck no."

"So does he know," Johnny said, gesturing to his face. "About your identity?"

Spider-Man hesitated, knowing if he gave too much information, Johnny might find out that he's Peter Parker. ... Maybe that wasn't a bad thing. He glanced away from Johnny and toward the skyline. "No."

"God, yeah, you gotta change that," Johnny said, standing up. "That's what's going to get you in trouble, if you're only around him in the suit. That's how people are going to know how to get to you."

Spider-Man nodded gently, knowing he could at least use part of his advice. He needed to keep his identities separate and his time spent with Harry out of the suit. Peter just ... needed to learn to take other people's advice. If he took Gwen's advice about telling Harry about his secret identity, things would've turned out so differently. "It's kind of funny," Spider-Man laughed. "I got similar advice last year."

"You should learn to take it sometime," Johnny said sternly. "I don't know how long you've been ... a thing but if you keep pushing your luck, things could get worse." He ignited, cautious of Spider-Man. "Catch ya later, Web-head."

Peter watched as the Human Torch took off. Johnny was right. He needed to be more careful. He needed to keep his lives separate. He needed to stop letting the thought that Harry was hurt because of him eat at him.

But he also knew that he was a domino in this situation.

If he would've trusted Harry ... if he would've waited for him to finish their studies ... if he would've just sat down and talk with him, listened with him ... if he would've thought out an actual plan with Doc Ock, none of this would've happened. 

Peter sighed and pulled his mask back down. He felt better after talking with Johnny. Maybe it was time to go home.

\-----

Peter waited awkwardly in the lobby of Oscorp, his bag draped lazily over his shoulder, sleeping bag at his feet. He's spent his morning with Aunt May catching up over pancakes, but he reserved his afternoon to take care of his boyfriend.

He had planned to meet up with Harry tonight and apologize for his accusations, but that was before Harry was hurt.

Harry texted him around lunch asking if he wanted to stop at Oscorp on his way back to campus. Harry's ability to drive was hindered by the cast and his strong painkillers. Norman wanted to drop Harry off personally, but something at work came up. Norman was going to have Bernard help Harry take his items to the dorm, but Harry told him Peter could help. 

The elevator ding caught Peter's attention.

The doors opened and his heart hurt. Norman and Harry stood somberly, Harry's broken arm, covered in a dark green cast, hung in a sling across his chest. Instantly, Harry's face brightened up. Peter carefully dropped his bag to the floor and half-jogged to meet the two halfway, wrapping Harry in a light hug.

"How are you doing?" Peter asked, gently moving his hands from Harry's back to his hips. He wanted to pull Harry in for a tighter hug, but knew he was probably still sore.

"Better," Harry smiled softly. "Way better now that you're here."

"Bernard will be pulling around out front," Norman said, extending Harry's backpack to Peter. Peter pulled away from Harry as he took his bag, putting both straps on. "I don't want Harry taking the MTA until his ribs heal."

"Dad --"

"Take tomorrow off from Oscorp," Norman continued, this time, aiming his comments toward Harry. "You need your rest, meaning _all_ physical activity --" He gestured to the space between the two boys, instantly pulling a blush on both their cheeks. "We don't need another ER trip, do we?"

"No sir," both boys said, one a little more sarcastic than the other. 

"Good," Norman said. Peter nodded as he walked over to pick up his own bag, holding it by its straps. He turned to Harry, making sure he was okay, only to see him still standing with his dad. Norman's light grip around Harry's free arm as he whispered something to Harry. Harry pressed his lips together, nodding softly. Norman let go, turning to head to the elevator. Harry looked up at Peter and forced a small smile as he walked over to him.

"Everything okay?" Peter asked quietly and cautiously. He knew it looked odd, Peter was still cautious of Oscorp's motives with the Goblin still flying around, but he couldn't jump to conclusions. Norman has always been protective of Harry. He could've been telling him to stay safe.

"Yeah," Harry said softly, relaxing as he grew near Peter. His free hand brushed against Peter's side, trailing to his back. Harry slowly fiddled with the bag. "Just ... medicine stuff," his words heavy as he slipped a small pill bottle in the bookbag. He zipped the bag up again, and stepped back to look at Peter, his lips pressed together. He glanced back, noticing the lack of his dad's presence ... but he still felt near. "I'll ... I'll explain later," he said softly, running his hand down Peter's arm, stopping at his wrist. He couldn't hold his hand with his bookbag in his way. He glanced down at the bag, hoping Peter would get the idea of switching hands ... until he noticed the sleeping bag at his feet. "But ... uh ... can you explain that?"

"I figured if your ribs are broken --"

"Fractured."

"-- Fractured, we shouldn't be on the same small bed." Peter moved the bookbag to his other hand. He picked up the sleeping back and slipped it under his armpit, taking Harry's free hand in his. "Your dad's right, you need to heal."

"I'm tough," Harry rolled his eyes. He knew Peter was right. He tugged on his hand, leading him outside of Oscorp and toward the black car. He let go of Peter's hand to open the door for him. It was the least Harry could do if Peter was his pack mule for the day. Peter pressed kiss against his cheek as he slipped in, putting the bags by his feet. Harry slowly slipped in beside him, flinching as it hurt to move. He paused for a moment, taking in a deep breath before reaching for the door and closed it.

"Are you set to go, Harry?" Bernard asked, glancing in the rear view mirror.

Harry moved cautiously to the center seat, reaching for the seatbelt. He slowly pulled it, struggling to get it with one hand. Peter reached over and help guide it to the latch, with Harry's hand followed through. Half of Harry was filled with frustration, as he suddenly was unable to do a lot for himself ... but it helped having Peter around. "Yep," Harry said, as he pressed a quick kiss against Peter's lips, before leaning his shoulder against Peter's. Peter smiled softly, resting his hand on Harry's thigh.

"Where did it break?"

"Higher up on the radius," Harry said, pointing about an inch lower than his wrist. He traced a small diagonal line to the opposite side of his cast. "And about here on the ulna. They said any higher up, and it would've been a complicated hand and wrist surgery."

Peter gently squeezed Harry's knee. "How did surgery go?"

"Good, I think," Harry smiled. "I mean, my arm's still attached. I do have a lot of physical therapy scheduled in the future for nerve damage."

"I'm surprised that your dad didn't fit you in an Oscorp cast."

"Oh, he tried," Harry laughed. "The doctors said something like if the cast were to break, then the damage to my bones and nerves could be detrimental. Dad didn't like the suggestion that his invention had the possibility of breaking."

"I get that," Peter said. "Hey, speaking of inventions, would you want to take a look at a few of my notes tonight? I got a couple of ideas that could benefit from an engineer looking at them."

"Would they benefit from an engineer that's high off of pain killers," Harry closed his eyes, focusing his attention on Peter's touch. The way he gently traced small circles against his thigh was lulling.

"Mr. Osborn," Bernard spoke up from the front seat, peeking at the boys in the rear view mirror. "You might put off sleeping until you get to your room. I don't believe Mr. Parker would be willing to carry you up ten floors."

"You'd be surprised," Harry grinned, sitting up straight to keep himself awake. "I'm sure he's strong enough."

"Your ego is too heavy to carry."

"Rude."

Once they were back in Harry's dorm room (after being stopped by several students, curious about what happened and a few tall tales in return), the boys started to relax ... after Peter made the room accessible. Harry leaned against his desk and watched as Peter lowered his bed. He was going to miss all that extra storage space underneath his mattress. But it was nice to see Peter's muscles being put to use outside the suit.

"God, I might have you fix my bed more often," Harry teased, leaning off the desk and approached Peter. He placed his free hand on his hip, leaning into Peter.

"Are you going to break it?" Peter asked accusingly. He tightened the last end, giving it a soft shake before turning to face Harry, eyebrow raised. He placed his hands on Harry's sides.

"I mean, I figured it would group project --"

"Group?" Peter smirked.

"Partner," Harry corrected. "I figured we'd do it together."

"You heard your dad," Peter laughed. "He's on to us."

 "I ... may have told him that we were sexually active again," Harry said softly, pulling away. He went to his bag and pulled out a pill bottle with green pills. "Let me explain."

And so, he did.

They sat on his bed, Peter's back against the wall and Harry between his legs, his back against Peter. Peter mindlessly rolled the pill bottle in his left hand, his right hand's fingers tangled with Harry's. He sat quietly as he listened to Harry revisit his muscle disorder and the serum, and the absolute truth about the Goblin and why he was collecting Spider-Man's blood in the first place. 

"I didn't want to tell you," Harry said softly, glancing at their intertwined fingers. "I didn't want you to feel obligated to do anything. I didn't want your DNA to be Oscorp property and for dad to _somehow ..._ weaponize you. Once I saw that he might have been considering super soldiers again, I wanted to back out. I told dad that I wasn't going to continue with Project Green. He said they couldn't continue without me. I ... I thought the project was dead. We've been taking my vitals, making sure that I'm not ... " Peter squeezed Harry's hand as he fought his way through his words. "-- Making sure that _I'm healthy_. I just ... haven't been taking my serum as regularly. And I think Dad knew. He changed our schedule, forcing me to give vitals on a day I wasn't prepared, so the serum in my body was low. And sometimes, when my adrenaline's high, the serum drains quicker. So I just ..."

"Told him we were having sex," Peter finished his sentence, adding a soft laugh. 

"Like rabbits," Harry laughed, flinching a little. Peter set the pill bottle down on the bed, running his hand along Harry's thigh. "I was a train wreck. But you know what the funny part was?"

"Other than the fact that we're definitely not having sex?"

"God, I can't wait until my cast is off so I can hit you," Harry rolled his eyes. "It was the same day as the Rhino and something must have hit me because i had a hickey-looking bruise on my neck."

"So you let debris leave you tough kisses but not me?" Peter pouted, pressing a soft kiss against Harry's neck. Harry closed his eyes, leaning into Peter's kiss.

"I'm working on that," Harry said softly.

Peter pressed another gentle kiss against Harry's neck. "Why aren't you taking your serum?"

"I ... I lied to you," Harry said quietly. "About the serum. The best one came from the Arachnid Archives. I ... I felt the best that I had in forever. And it came from you. I just ... couldn't take it, knowing that once i was out, I'd have to ask you for a blood sample."

Peter picked the pill bottle back off the bed, noticing how it was filled to the brim. "Do you think ..."

Peter didn't have to finish his sentence for Harry to nod gently. "I don't know how else we would've got more," He said softly. "Dad handed it to me before we left. He said it was synthetic ... but if you saw the Goblin --"

"Then Project Green is still open," Peter said quietly.

"That or it's very odd timing," Harry said. The two sat in silence for a moment before Harry spoke up again. "I'm not taking them."

"Hare --"

"I don't want to rely on them," He explained. "I can't make you be a lifeline for me --"

"You're not making me," Peter said. "I'll gladly be your lifeline. Always."

Harry hesitated, trying to find his words. He brought Peter's hand up to his lips, pressing a soft kiss. "I don't want you to be a lifeline. I want you to be my boyfriend. I want you to be safe from Oscorp."

Peter pressed a soft kiss against Harry's neck. "Take the serum, at least, while you're nursing your broken bones."

"I ... I can do that," Harry said softly, knowing he could heal better, maybe even faster, with the serum.

"Good," Peter said pressing another soft kiss before reaching for a marker on Harry's dresser. "Now, let me see your cast so I can deface it."

After fumbling with Harry's sling, and slowly moving his arm cautiously, Peter found two spots to write his name. In short, thick caps, "PETER ♥" laid on the top of Harry's wrist. In a gentle, cursive script, "Spidey" sprawled across the base of his forearm.

"Okay, open your eyes."

Harry peeked before snorting. "That's not obvious, or anything."

"Well, he saved you," Peter said. "The least he could do was sign your cast."

"Saved is an objective word."

"I'm so sorry --"

"I'm joking," Harry said, twisting as best as he could to press a kiss against Peter's cheek. "I love them both."

"Good thing they're the same person," Peter smirked. "Or else I might get jealous."

"They were the same person and I still got jealous," Harry laughed, pressing another quick kiss before slowly snaking his way further down into the bed. Peter's hands quick to Harry's side, as he helped him lay down. Peter slowly started to try to make his way out of the bed before Harry put his free hand against his chest. "Let's try this, just for a little while?"

Peter nodded, all he wanted to do was cuddle with Harry. He slowly sunk back into the bed. Harry slowly rolled to his side, wincing at his ribs. Peter almost sat up, telling him, _"Nope. Not going to happen if you're hurting._ " Until the green cast landed on his chest, holding him down.

"Are you good?"

"I'm good," Peter said, relaxing. He leaned his head against Harry's. "Are you good?"

"So good," Harry smiled, closing his eyes. 

\-----

Peter woke an hour later, as his phone buzzed.

He cautiously reached over a sleeping Harry for his phone. Five news alerts reported that Doc Ock was wreaking havocin Hell's Kitchen. Peter could feel anger was back over him. Doc Ock was causing trouble because Spider-Man didn't stop him yesterday. Peter knew he couldn't let this go. He sighed, trying to calm down. He carefully placed pillows underneath Harry's arm to keep it elevated, in lieu of his body. He used the wall, climbing on it to avoid shaking the bed. 

He slipped on his suit, then his sweats. He put his mask, gloves and phone in the nice, large pockets of his sweatpants.

He walked over to the bed, gently running his fingers through Harry's locks. He leaned in, pressing a soft kiss against his temple. "I'm going to keep you safe," Peter said softly.

"From what?" A groggy answer slipped out of Harry's lips. Peter was about to apologize for waking Harry, but he didn't move to look at Peter. His breathing remained steady as he slept. Peter will have to tease him later about sleep talking.

"From everything I can," Peter said, pressing another kiss against Harry's hair before slipping out.


	12. 'He's no longer of use to me.'

It took three days before the small manila envelope with Norman's name on it landed on his desk.

He slipped the blue USB drive into the palm of his hand, admiring the gold NYPD logo. It was nice to have someone in the right places when he needed to help. He plugged the USB drive into his computer, finding several video files, including traffic feeds from two intersections, the bank's outside security footage, a competing bank's outside security footage and a few security footages from local businesses. He pulled out the folded up piece of paper inside the envelope, reading the quick scratches of the pen. _'W96 APT. videos might be of your interest.'_

And Officer Gonzales didn't disappoint.

The first security footage came from the main floor. At first, Norman thought Gonzales had a funny bone, telling him that the apartment's security footage had the best view to watch Spider-Man being pulled through an apartment building across the street. He wouldn't have been wrong, Norman enjoyed watching the vigilante get knocked into walls.

Well, he did until he saw a familiar light brown hair appear on screen.

He watched as Harry stepped into the destroyed building, then cautiously step back a half-minute later. Within a few seconds, Spider-Man wraps his arms around Harry and pulled him off the ground, pulling him out of frame. It took thirty seconds before Spider-Man returned, pulling the Rhino out of the apartment building. Norman skipped through the timeline as the Rhino and Spider-Man fought. Soon, the Rhino was in webs and Spider-Man swung back out of frame.

He switched to the other security footage. This one, from the rooftop with a perfect view of the building across the street where Spider-Man drops Harry off. Spider-Man appeared to be lifting his mask off, until Harry grabbed his arm. Spider-Man pulled the mask back down and stepped away from Harry. The way that they were moving, it looked like they were arguing. Spider-Man jumped off the edge of the building, shooting a web and disappearing out of frame. Harry ran to the edge of the building, watching as Spider-Man disappeared. He walked to the access door and tried to open it. When it didn't budge, Harry ran back over to the edge and called out. He leaned back and pulled out his phone. 

Then he paced around the roof.

He played on his phone.

He took a few photos of the skyline.

He leaned over the edge of the building, until suddenly he took two steps back. Norman wondered if Harry had realized how high up he was. He paced around the rooftop again until his phone got his attention. He stopped pacing to text. 

Within a minute, Spider-Man landed back on the building, dropped a bag and pulled Harry into a hug. Norman could feel his skin crawl.

Eventually, Harry pulled away and walked over to the bag Spider-Man dropped. He handed it back to him, to which he slipped on. Norman watched Spider-Man pull Harry close, lift his mask partially up and quickly kiss him. He could feel his blood boil when Spider-Man leaned in for a second, longer kiss.

Norman didn't need to watch anymore. He exited out of the video and sighed.

He opened the bottom drawer of his desk, which once used to hold coloring books and crayons, now held glasses and half-empty liquor bottles. He set out a glass and poured Jameson into it. He took a drink.

Spider-Man compromised Harry.

Caught his heart in a web. Pulled wool over his eyes. Turned him against his own father.

How much did Harry tell Spider-Man about Project Green? Did Spider-Man convince Harry to cut back on the serum? Did ... Harry love him?

Harry had a small bruise on the base of his neck when Norman had saw him that same day. Harry overcompensated, letting Norman know about his and Peter's relationship. But was that hickey from Spider-Man?

How far did this relationship go?

Was it a relationship?

Norman stood up. He threw the glass at the wall, watching it shatter.

He rubbed his eye tiredly as he turned to the window, taking in the city below. 

His son was supposed to be back on campus, spending time with Peter. Was he spending time with Spider-Man?

Was Spider-Man controlling Harry?

How much does Spider-Man care for Harry?

Norman wasn't sure if it was the alcohol that made its way through his system or if it was the anger that boiled his blood, but soon he picked the phone off his desk and dialed the too-familiar number. He pressed the phone to his ear and waited. As soon as he heard the nasally voice of his former colleague answer, he felt the alcohol kick his plan into play.

"I have a favor to ask you," Norman said, reaching for another glass in the drawer. "It includes your favorite arachnid and would include compensation."

"You had me at compensation."

"That was the last word I said," Norman said, ruffling his brow.

"Well, you lost me at favor."

"Anyway," Norman sighed, pouring another drink. "Free your weekend and name your price. I'll contact you Friday for details and location."

**\-----**

Norman had thought about the last two times the Goblin interacted with Spider-Man.

 _"We -- We're gonna have to talk about this later,"_   Spider-Man said before turning to go save citizens. His voice wavered, but remained confident. As if he knew the Goblin, wanting to talk to him like he was a child who started a fire. A child that was in trouble, but the parent had to put the fire out first. 

But the second time, Spider-Man sounded uneasy. _"I ... stopped you,"_ he said. _"I stopped the Goblin."_   Spider-Man separated the Goblin from Harry. He sounded disappointed ... sad that the Goblin was back and that the _'you'_   could have been Harry. Norman played to that fear as he told the vigilante that he was back to stay. "But are you?" He asked, before knocking him out with an electric shock.

"Dad."

Norman looked up from his work at the kitchen island. He would be still down in his office, but Harry was home. He'd rather be in the proximity of his son than several floors below. Plus, he needed a change of scenery. "Yeah, Harry?"

"Can we move lunch a little earlier tomorrow?" He asked, phone in hand. "I forgot I had a study date at one."

"How about supper instead," Norman said more than suggested, returning his attention back to the pages on the counter.

"Yeah," Harry nodded. "Yeah, that ... would be good." He turned to leave the kitchen before his dad's voice caught his attention.

"Are you studying with Peter?"

"Uh, yeah," Harry said, rubbing the back of his neck. "With Pete. Yeah."

"Where at?" Norman said, glancing up from his work. Something in Harry's voice felt off.

"A coffee shop near campus."

"Is it Birch off of Columbus?"

"... Yeah," Harry said. It wasn't his idea. Johnny Storm suggested it. He just ... wasn't going to tell his dad that it was Johnny, as Norman wasn't a fan of the Fantastic Four. "It's the only Birch Coffee that's close to campus."

"Proximity never seemed like a problem before," Norman said, full attention to Harry. "I seem to remember Brooklyn dates for cheap burgers."

"Peter's idea," Harry said. "We wanted walking distance. It's for organic chemistry, we have heavy books that we don't want to lug around."

"And the library?"

"A scenic study," Harry said. "Plus, good coffee."

"Alright," Norman said. "Please be safe. Especially since last time --"

"But he wouldn't be there," Harry snapped. Norman shot a glare. Harry took a step back and toned down. "The Rhino was caught. They're fixing everything up."

"Be safe," Norman said, turning his attention to back to his work. 

Harry nodded, frustrated that he was being treated like a child again. "I'm going to bed. I've had a long day."

"Good night," Norman said.

As soon as Harry's bedroom door shut, Norman picked up his phone and dialed his colleague's number. He stepped outside of the penthouse, standing in the awkward hallway between the home and the elevator. "Tomorrow. Briefing in the labs at one. You pull this off and follow my rules, stick to my plan, you can get your funding in full."

And everything was going to plan.

Otto Octavius got fitted with a communication piece. Microcameras attached to his arms, as Norman knew he couldn't ask Officer Gonzales for yet another favor (especially when he caused the destruction this time).

Norman walked to Otto, flipping around the tablet in his hand to display a photo of Harry and Peter. "Now, my son is the one on the left," Norman said. "His friend," he pointed to Peter. "Is not a part of this. Toss him aside, unharmed." Once Otto acknowledged the photo, Norman flipped the tablet back to him. He took in the photo before glancing back up at Otto. _"Both_ should be unharmed for full funding."

"Got it," Otto gritted through his teeth. "I don't need you to tell me how to do my job --"

"I get to do that if I'm paying you," Norman said, as he walked away. "The objective is to see how Spider-Man responds --"

"And that's assuming he's going to show up."

"He will," Norman said. "If he's not already at the scene."

"Am I spying on your son for you?" Otto rolled his eyes. "This is not --"

"Your job is doing what I'm paying you to do," Norman interrupted. "And if you get paid to cause a scene near my son to attract Spider-Man? Then, yes. You are spying on my son for me."

Otto exhaled in frustration. He wasn't a babysitter. But he would gladly accept the funding once his task was done.

And the task was easy.

Harry Osborn wasn't a hard target. Hell, he was hardly a target. He did put up a fight, until he realized that Otto had the advantage.

Otto just wasn't prepared for the Human Torch to be there.

("I was unaware _of him,"_ Norman gritted through his teeth.)

And soon, Spider-Man was there, too, pulling away the fire extinguisher that Otto had tossed at the Human Torch. "You know that pressurized cans and fires don't go well together, right? Oh, shoot. That was the point, wasn't it?"

Soon, the Human Torch was flying at Otto. Otto moved a metal arm, quickly following the flames. Spider-Man webbed the arm, pulling it away. Otto snapped the web, quickly avoiding another attack from the Human Torch. In a quick decision, he lifted Harry up to the air, knowing he had an advantage over the two superheroes who allegedly care a lot for this Osborn.

The Human Torch stopped.

Harry started to wiggle, trying to fight the grip before freezing once he realized how high he was.

"Ah, so you can seethat this height is dangerous," Otto grinned. "For a second, I thought you were second guessing the danger of this situation."

("Do _not_ drop my son!")

"Ock, didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with your food?" Spider-Man said, as he swung toward Otto and Harry. Maybe he didn't care for Harry's safety as much as Norman seems to suggest. "Not that you're food. Despite how he looks, he's not actually going to --" Spider-Man stopped, sticking to a side of a building. "Oh, fuck."

Otto grinned, he had Spider-Man where he wanted him.

"So, we're all on the same page, now? Good," Otto said. He started to walk away, Harry still high in the air. "The young Osborn and I need to have a talk in private about an investment in my project."

Before he knew it, both heroes flew at him. Spider-Man pulled his grip loose from Harry. The Human Torch quickly moved, ready to catch the falling captive. Otto used his webbed arm to knock the Human Torch away, quickly grabbing Harry's arm, saving him from falling.

("Otto!")

"Is that how we're doing this?" Otto said, turning his attention to Spider-Man, raising a terrified Harry up higher. "Nobody was going to be hurt. Everything was going to go smoothly and I was going to get my funding."

"Just hang on," Spider-Man called to Harry, trying to comfort him. "Everything's going to be okay."

 _Everything's fine,"_  Doc Ock mocked, following Spider-Man's assuring tone. "It's not like he's dangling forty feet in the air by his --"

("That's enough, Otto. I have what I need.")

"It seems like I'm done here," He turned his attention to Harry. "We will have to discuss the funding another day. But for now --" The metal claw around Harry's arm tightened, squeezing out a loud crack. Harry's scream was loud enough to travel through Otto's communications piece back to Oscorp. "-- You'll have something to remember me by." Doc Ock lowered Harry, tossing him aside in the rubble of the building. He left the scene, fully expecting at least one of the heroes to follow him but was pleasantly surprised to see neither had dashed after him.

("Don't even think you're going to get your funding now!" Norman yelled. "Octavius, I said unharmed. I said. _Unharmed_.")

"And you think they would've believed that I would have set him down carefully?" Otto asked, speaking normally into the communication piece. He knew he had no reason to worry about someone hearing him. "Plus, I needed a distraction and you wanted your proof."

("Which the videos were enough --")

"And what if there's a camera still at the scene?"

Norman hesitated, turning to the feeds. All but one tracked Otto as he fled the scene. Inside a destroyed apartment lobby, was Harry surrounded by the Human Torch and Spider-Man. 

"I found a nice support beam to leave one at, after hitting the Human Torch."

("I'll ... I'll look at the full footage tonight and determine your eligibility for funding," Norman said. "Right now, I believe I have to meet my son at the hospital.")

"For a minor broken arm," Otto said. "I bet you, no surgery involved."

Otto was clearly wrong.

Harry had to have surgery for nerve damage. Didn't take long. But the morphine did a number on Harry. He was out for the cast. He slept for most of the evening. He did stir around 8.

Harry's eyes fluttered, instantly closing again. Norman looked up from his book, reaching over to cup Harry's cheek in comfort. He leaned into his dad's hand, drowsily looking at him. "Thanks, Spidey," He said softly, closing his eyes again. "I love you."

Norman was hurt. His son was keeping Spider-Man safe, away from Oscorp because _he loved him_. Spider-Man took Harry's heart, keeping him captive and pulling him away from his dad. Norman couldn't have that. He needed to send a message to Spider-Man.

As soon as Harry fell back asleep, Norman stood up and walked to the other side of the hospital room, pulling out his phone. Pressing it to his ear, he waited for Otto to pick up. "I got my answers," He said quietly. "And you got your funding. But I need you to do one more thing for me. It involves, squashing a bug if you're interested."

\-----

Spider-Man swung from building to building, rushing down to Hell's Kitchen. He had to stop Doc Ock from anymore destruction. It was already his fault that he was attacking Hell's Kitchen in the first place. It was his fault that Harry was hurt. Doc Ock was still free and Harry had to pay the price. Peter wasn't going to let him get away with that.

Spider-Man followed the cries of the sirens. As they grew closer, the sound of destruction grew louder. Soon, he spotted Doc Ock destroying an apartment complex.

"Don't you ever rest?" Spider-Man called, quickly webbing one of Doc Ock's arm before it smashed one of the building's support beams. "Hell's Kitchen already has it bad. They don't need you to destroy anymore apartments."

"You'd think I'd waste my time destroying a neighborhood that's already destroying itself?" Doc Ock beamed. "The district is so corrupted, they have to have the devil himself clean it up."

Spider-Man narrowed his eyes, trying to decipher what Doc Ock was alluding to. He knew about Daredevil -- well, he's heard about him -- but he didn't know what he meant by wasting his time destroying the neighborhood. That's _exactly_   what he was doing. Spider-Man glanced at the building, suddenly realizing the situation. All of the exposed apartments were unfurnished, some had the carpet ripped from the floor. It wasn't until he saw the foreclosure sign that he realized he made a mistake. Shivers went down his back.

Spider-Man barely dodged an arm, jumping out of the way. He quickly casted a web at the middle of the metal arm, swinging to find safety. "This was a trap," he said, mainly to himself, from the safety of another building.

"What gave it away?" Doc Ock grinned, arm quickly moving toward Spider-Man. Spider-Man jumped from the building, webbing the arm to keep it away from the building.

His spider-sense went off.

He quickly let go of his webs, barely missing another arm that came at him.

"What's your deal?" Spider-Man called, spraying a web to the arm that missed him using it to guide himself to safety. Using the same web, he tried to pull the arm to the ground. "If you want to hang out, just call me and we can get pizza. You don't have to wreck a neighborhood for that."

"I wouldn't exactly call this hanging out," Doc Ock said, pulling his arm free from Spider-Man's webs. 

"Don't your friends all try to attack you?" Spider-Man said, focusing on dodging Doc Ock's arms as they quickly move to him. "You know, throw playful punches? Kick your ass a few times? Good ol' friendship fights? Wait, sorry," He webbed one of the metal arms, using his momentum to swing and kick Doc Ock backward. "You probably don't have any friends."

Doc Ock stumbled, quickly switching metal arms for support and regained his balance. He looked at Spider-Man, finding refuge against a building and grinned. "Does _Harry_   give you a good pounding?"

"Wh-what?" Spider-Man felt like he was the one kicked in the gut. The mention of Harry's name startled Peter. Doc Ock's sinister grin told Peter that he knew much more than he was suggesting and the context of his quip was deeper than just surface-level. His senses were going off, knowing that this was a bad situation. He needed to regain his focus. God. He should've been more careful --

He jumped off the building, quickly casting a web to an adjacent complex as an metal arm was quickly coming at him. Before he landed on the building, a claw grabbed his leg, pulling him away. 

"Shit!" He tried to cast another web, to help pull him away, but he lost grip. Doc Ock swung him into the broken apartment building, knocking down a wall.

"You know exactly what I meant," Doc Ock smirked. Spider-Man groaned, as he tried to regain his strength to get off of the ground. His efforts were thwarted as Doc Ock grabbed his leg, pulling him back out of the building. Peter tried to grab anything he could, before remembering he had webs. He shot a web at a large piece of concrete, pulling it toward him. At the last moment, he swung his web, angling it to hit Doc Ock.

Doc Ock lost his grip on Spider-Man as he focused his attention to knock away the concrete, but soon regrabbed Spider-Man, using him to smash another wall down.

Peter groaned, grabbing at his side. Fuck. He needed to clear his mind. He couldn't think about how Doc Ock _knew_   about him and Harry until after he was webbed up.

He stood up to face Doc Ock, suddenly coming face-to-face with a metal arm. The claw grabbed him by his waist, pulling him off his feet. The arm lifted him up, smacking him to the roof before dropping him to the floor.

Spider-Man gasped in pain. Fuck. He had to stop Doc Ock right  _now_. He needed to clear his mind.

Harry was at the dorm.

He was away from danger.

He was asleep.

He was recovering.

_He was safe._

Spider-Man exhaled, focusing his senses on Doc Ock. He felt the arm, yards away, take aim at him. He waited. The arm quickly darted at him. Spider-Man jumped, the arm missing him. He quickly webbed the arm to the ground. Another arm darted, he moved out of the way, webbing the second arm to the wall.

He ran toward Doc Ock. Another arm came toward him. Spider-Man used the arm as leverage. He jumped on the arm then jumped off. He sprayed a web, using his momentum to swing into Doc Ock again. With three of his arms preoccupied, Doc Ock had a harder time readjusting himself. He stumbled back, quickly putting a third arm on the ground for stabilization. 

Spider-Man stuck to a building for a quick second before jumping off again. "Leave Harry out of this," He yelled, as he punched Doc Ock in the face. Otto stumbled again, this time pulling his webbed arms free. He quickly smacked Spider-Man out of the air as he tried to find refuge. Spider-Man landed on the ground, groaning. 

"Oh, did I strike a chord?" Doc Ock grinned, pulling loose webs from his arms. Peter put his hand against his side, feeling his suit grow wet with blood. He pushed himself off of the ground, dodging another arm. 

"Personally, I think it's illegal to kidnap someone," Spider-Man said, grabbing another metal arm with a web. He pulled it down, blocking an attack from another arm with it. He webbed the two arms together at the claws and at the middle, hoping that it was enough to keep them stable. "Actually, it is illegal."

Another arm came toward Spider-Man. He jumped, casting a web at the arm. He pulled it toward him, letting go and moving out of the way for the arm to hit Otto himself. As soon as it hit Otto, it knocked him backward. Spider-Man webbed that arm to Doc Ock's body, quickly working to web the other arms in place. Soon, Doc Ock was trapped in Spider-Man's webs, unable to move. Peter sighed.

"I think we can take it from here," A police officer called, approaching the scene with caution. He had his hand ready for his gun in case Otto Octavius regained strength. "Do you need one of our guys to look at you? You look like you took some hits. Concussions can turn bad if they're not treated."

"No I'm fine, Officers ..." Spider-Man leaned in slightly, trying to focus on the officer's name badge.

"Officer Gonzales," He said, a little confused. "Just one."

"Sorry, double vision," Spider-Man joked, waving his hand in front of his own face. "I'm good."

"You sure --" 

Spider-Man already took off, swinging away.

Officer Gonzales sighed. He put his hand up to his communication piece. "He took off," He said quietly. "We're going to detain Octavius for the night. But he can escape tomorrow --"

("Don't worry about it," Norman sighed. "He's no longer of use to me.")

\-----

Spider-Man groaned as he landed on a rooftop.

Fuck, everything hurt.

Even swinging hurt. 

He just needed to rest for a moment.

He sat down on the roof, leaning his back against the brick ledge. He leaned his head back, keeping his mask on.

He took a deep inhale. Slowly exhaling the pain, finding himself accepting the relaxing sensation of blacking out.


	13. 'He knows about us.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops!! It's long, sorry

Peter woke up to a buzzing against his hip.

He groaned, pulling his phone away from his hip and against his ear.

"Hello?" He mumbled.

The buzzing continued.

He pulled the phone away, realizing it was his alarm going off **: _'_** _19_ _:15,_ _GET UP AND GET FOOD'_

"Shit," Peter mumbled, realizing that he's been gone from the dorm way longer than he meant to. Doc Ock really knocked him out. He turned off the alarm, scrolling through his missed messages.

17:02

_H: Where did you go?_

18:14

_H: Pete_

18:16

_H: you could've left me a sticky note or something_

18:30

_H: Found the sticky note_

_H: it doesn't clear anything up_

_H: but i mean, i guess there's a note_

18:35

_H: I need help with the pill bottle whenever you decide to come back to planet Earth._

God. Focusing on Harry's texts was tough to do. Peter wanted to text back, but he wasn't sure if he'd hit the right buttons. He took a deep breath and pushed himself off the ground. Holy shit, he hurt. He closed his eyes, exhaling. He'd feel better once he was out of his uniform. He just ... couldn't think where he left his sweats.

"Damn it," He mumbled, running a hand over his mask. It's dark. He'll be okay. Luckily, he left his dorm key in Harry's room. He just needed ... needed to find a way to sneak back into Harry's dorm. He'll figure that one out as soon as he gets close to campus.

Swinging still hurt. God, for a building that was falling apart, its walls were still sturdy enough to cause pain. Peter stopped on a rooftop across the street from campus. He focused on Carmen Hall, trying to figure out which room was Harry's. "1102, 1102, 1102," He mumbled to himself, counting up the floors to the eleventh floor. He was about to give up and call Harry to tell him to signal him until one of the corner rooms caught his eye.

"You got to be shitting me," He whispered as he swung to the building to the east, landing on the roof. He crouched down, careful of anyone who might have seen him to get a better look at the window.

The room was dim, its only light source may have came from a lamp on the far side of the room. But the faint painted, glowing spiderweb on the window is what caught Peter's attention. He hesitated, knowing October was around the corner and some students may already be decorating. He quickly swung to the dorm, sticking to the wall between rooms. He quickly glanced in the room, spying Harry sitting on his bed, notebook in lap. Peter sighed softly before giving a soft knock against the window.

Harry looked up, surprised at the noise. There weren't any trees tall enough to accidentally hit his window. He wasn't sure what the noise could have been until he spied a red glove knock against the window again. 

Harry laughed, setting the notebook aside as he slowly slide off his bed and to the window. He unlocked the window and started to push it up. "I need your help with it," He said, trying to readjust his right hand. He couldn't get the right leverage he needed to push the window all the way up. At least, not one handed. Soon, Spider-Man's hand reached out, carefully pushing the window up. 

Harry stood back, his free hand out to reach to help pull Spider-Man in.

Peter slowly climbed in, taking Harry's hand but putting no weight on him. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he sighed in relief, finally relaxing.

"I got tired of waiting for you," Harry laughed, moving his touch to Peter's arm, running his hand up and down his bicep, amused by the webs on his suit. "I ordered pizza. It's -- are you okay?"

Peter nodded gently.

"What happened? Where were you?" Harry asked, putting his hand against Peter's cheek. His eyes grew wide when he felt a wet warmth through the mask. "Peter."

Peter leaned his head down to his hands and pulled his mask off. "I ... I fell into a trap," He sighed. God, he felt dumb. He didn't want to look at Harry, knowing his face probably looked as bad as it felt. Harry's hand, gentle against his cheek, guided Peter's head up. His left eye already swollen, his cheek painted with a large purple bruise with a bloody gash in the center. His right jaw was scattered with bruises and small cuts. Harry leaned in, pressing a soft kiss against Peter's forehead. "He knows."

"Who knows what, Pete?"

"Doc Ock," Peter said. He closed his eyes, placing his hand gently on Harry's hip. He ran his thumb against his skin. "He knows about us."

" 'Harry and Peter' us or --"

" 'Harry and Spider-Man' us," Peter sighed as he felt Harry tense up. "I'm sorry. I should've been more careful."

"I was reckless, too," Harry said. "Don't put the blame on just you."

"He's taken care of," Peter said. "I webbed him up and the police was going to take him in. You're going to be safe."

Harry wanted to argue that he may never be safe from bad guys with a name like Osborn, but tonight wasn't the night. He pressed another gentle kiss against Peter's forehead. "My knight in blue spandex," He pulled away and went into the bathroom. Peter heard the sink turn on. "Take off your suit. Do you want to fill me in on what happened or ready to put it behind you?"

"A bit of both," Peter said, as he forced himself to stand up. He shut the window and started to strip his suit. Once he kicked off his suit, he turned around to face Harry with a warm wet rag in his hand.

"God, that looks bad," Harry mumbled, glancing at the cut along Peter's side. He hesitated, not sure which one to clean up first. He handed the wet rag to Peter, moving his hand to his face before going back to the bathroom for another wet rag. Peter smirked as he leaned against Harry's desk.

Harry came back, gently pushing the damp rag against Peter's cut. He leaned his head against Peter's shoulder and sighed softly. Peter gently ran his hand up Harry's back. "You should be wearing your sling," Peter said.

"I couldn't put it on by myself," Harry muttered. "God, it kills me how much I can't do."

"Hey, your pill," Peter said, as he started to get up. Harry moved the wet rag to Peter's chest, gently pushing him back down.

"I'm fine," Harry said. "I'll get one later."

"Hare --"

"I need food with it anyway," Harry said, gesturing to the box of pizza on the bed. "I've had two bites. That's practically an empty stomach."

The boys stood in silence for a moment, Harry moving the rag back to Peter's side, this time, gently cleaning away the drying blood from his skin. Peter closed his eyes, leaning his head back as he basked in the warmth of the rag against his face.

"I told you not to come in my window bruised and battered," Harry whispered.

Peter brought his head back down to look at Harry, realizing tears were forming in his eyes. "Hey, hey," Peter said softly, reaching to touch Harry's cheek. Harry pulled his hand away from Peter's side to wipe his eyes against his arm. "I'm okay. Everything's fine --"

"Everything's not fine," Harry said. "You're hurt --"

"Because of my mistake," Peter pressed a soft kiss against Harry's forehead. "I let Doc Ock get the best of me."

"God, I'm sorry --"

"You have nothing to apologize for," Peter said.

"Stop interrupting me," Harry laughed through his tears. He wiped his face again, taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry I hurt you the other night. I shouldn't have shoved you like that."

"I deserved it," Peter said. "I should've believed you when you said you didn't know about the Goblin. And I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry for lying."

Harry reached up, gently running his thumb underneath Peter's bruise on his cheekbone. "I'm sorry I was snarky."

"When are you not snarky?" Peter grinned, leaning in to press a soft kiss against Harry's lips. "Let's get some food in you."

The two sat on Harry's bed, Peter against the wall and Harry in between his legs. At first, Harry didn't want to lean against him afraid to hurt him, but Peter wrapped his free arm around his waist, pulling him in as he chomped on a pizza slice. Harry slowly started to lean into Peter, finding comfort in his arms. Eventually, he leaned his head against Peter's chest, resting his cast against Peter's arm.

"I took a look at your designs like you asked," Harry said, referring to the sticky note that was on top of the notebook. "I think they could work."

"You think?"

"Yeah," Harry said. "A few minor tweaks and they'd work. I don't know about the cobweb, since I really don't know how the web fluid would react, but we could give it a try sometime. I could get a hold of some old Oscorp scrap projects and we could work on it sometime in the lab when dad's out of town."

"Yeah, sounds good," Peter said, pressing a gentle kiss against Harry's head. "Speaking of cobwebs, what's up with the web on the window?"

"It's glow in the dark paint."

"I figured," Peter laughed. "But why?"

"I ... I put it up Thursday after we fought," Harry said. Peter pressed another kiss against Harry's head. "I told you to come back when my boyfriend returns. I was afraid that might mean you crawling through my window. So, I put it up for when you return to me."

"I'm sorry I made that come true," Peter leaned in to press another kiss against Harry's temple, but Harry turned, leaning up to steal that kiss for his lips.

"You can apologizeby opening that pill bottle now," Harry grinned.

"Okay," Peter laughed, slowly untangling himself from Harry. He handed Harry's water bottle to him.

"Top drawer, Advil bottle," Harry said, as he put the bottle in the crook of his leg, using his hand to move the lid off. If the pill bottle wasn't so small and childproof, he probably could have done the same.

"Okay, two pills?" Peter said, opening the bottle and knocking a few pills out into his hand.

"No just -- wait, I can get those," Harry quickly reached for the bottle. Peter stepped out of Harry's reach, as he moved all but one of the pills back into the bottle.

"Hare, this isn't Advil."

Harry bit his lip.

"Hare --"

"I was in a lot of pain, okay?" He ran his free hand up and down his leg. "I got a prescription while I was in Italy. It's legal, I promise --"

"Hare, these are dangerous --"

"I'm being careful," Harry wrinkled his brow. "I don't take them every day. Just when ... when it gets bad."

Peter hesitated, pill in hand. "What do you mean when 'it' gets bad?"

"My muscles," Harry said softly. "But Pete, this is for my arm. I promise."

"How often do you take it?"

"Not everyday --"

"Hare."

Harry thought for a moment, running his hand against his leg. "Twice a week. Maybe three times. Usually, on a tail end of a serum high."

"Have you taken the serum yet?"

"No," Harry said. "I couldn't get any of the bottles open. Plus, that takes longer to kick in."

Peter sighed, handing the pill to Harry. "When are you going to take the serum?"

"In the morning," Harry said, slipping the pill between his lips. He took a drink of his water, swallowing the pill. "The serum doesn't mix well with oxycodone."

Peter sighed, wishing Harry didn't already know that. He kneeled on the bed, leaning his head against Harry's. He wrapped his arms around his waist. "Please take care of yourself."

"I promise you, I wouldn't take that if I didn't need it," Harry said softly. He knew soon, Peter's touch would be numb against his skin. Maybe he'll feel his warmth, but it won't feel like Peter. He would've tried to fight through the muscle pain ... if his arm wasn't broken. His dull aches of his muscles amplified with the sharp pain in his arm. It's all he could think about.

Well, mostly everything he could think about.

He leaned back from Peter, turning his head slightly before leaning back in for a small kiss. He moved his hand from his leg to gently rest against Peter's jaw, leaning in again for a more lingering kiss. "I love you, Peter."

"I love you, too," Peter said, leaning in to close any gap between their lips. He unwrapped his arms, moving his hands to Harry's side. Peter needed to trust Harry. He couldn't doubt him when he said he had it under control. He's concerned, but he doesn't know what kind of pain Harry's been through as he tried to pull himself off the serum. 

Harry nipped at Peter's bottom lip, encouraging him to split his lips. Peter smirked, welcoming Harry's tongue as he carefully laid Harry down on the bed. He moved his leg, straddling himself on Harry as he sucked his tongue. Harry's soft moan was muffled into the kiss. Soon, he felt Harry's fingers on his side. Peter ached to feel Harry's palm flat against his skin. He leaned in to his touch, only to feel Harry's cast bump his skin. Harry gasped in pain, pulling away from the kiss.

"Oh my God," Peter said, as he quickly sat up and scrambled to get off of Harry. Harry gently reached back out for Peter, wanting him to come back. His call of 'no, wait' was covered by Peter's apology. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry. I forgot -- I'm so sorry."

"Pete --"

"Hare, I'm so sorry --" 

Harry gently grabbed Peter's wrist, pulling his hand toward his face. Peter pressed his open palm against Harry's cheek. "We're even," He said sternly. "Now, come back and kiss me."

Peter leaned back down, pressing a quick, gentle kiss against Harry's lips. "We both know that we're gonna want more than just a kiss."

"Yeah, so what if I want your hand down my pants?" Harry leaned back up for another kiss, only to be met with a larger space between the two.

"Then it sounds like the pain killers are setting in," Peter laughed. "Because that's not going to happen until your ribs heal."

Harry pouted his lips. "Rib. Singular."

"Then that makes a huge difference," Peter joked.

Harry sighed dramatically. "Will you help me sit up?"

"Are we going to put on your sling?" Peter teased. "We need your arm elevated."

"Thanks for the reminder, Nurse Parker," Harry rolled his eyes. "But I want to get out of my clothes for bed."

"Oh yeah, sure," Peter said, as he helped Harry up slowly. As soon as Peter had Harry sitting up, he leaned in, carefully running his fingers against Harry's jaw. He leaned in and nipped at Harry's bottom lip before pulling away, crawling off the bed. He extended his arms out to help Harry off the bed. "Come on, my patient."

Harry whined as he took Peter's help.

"That's what you get for demoting me," Peter laughed, moving his hands to Harry's hips. His fingers lingered for a moment, before remembering the task on hand. He cautiously slipped the shirt upward as Harry inched out of it. "I worked hard for that MD."

"Pete, you're barely a freshman in college."

"Don't underestimate my education," Peter leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss Harry's lips. Harry grinned, following Peter as he pulled away, keeping their lips connected. Peter didn't fight back, but as soon as he felt Harry's hand against the waistband of his briefs, he pulled away. "Babe."

"Sorry," He grinned, pressing another quick kiss against his lips. "Hey, I didn't tell you earlier, but thanks for coming to visit me last night."

Peter wrinkled his brow. "I didn't come and visit."

"Oh?" Harry wrinkled his brow. "Maybe I dreamt it. Thanks for visiting my dreams. Now, help me with my pants and we can really start making out --"

"Hare --"

"I'm kidding," Harry grinned. "We can look over your designs together."

\-----

In the morning, the boys got ready. Well, they got Harry ready. Peter didn't have any of his stuff for the day in Harry's room. He didn't even have a spare set of clothes in Harry's room. 

Peter was going to walk Harry to the lecture hall and run back to his dorm to change and grab his bag, but Harry wanted to see his room. "I haven't even met your suitemates yet," Harry teased as Peter lead him into Hartley Hall. 

"You've met Johnny," Peter reminded him. 

"Yeah, but not as Peter Parker's boyfriend." Peter pulled Harry into the elevator.

As soon as it closed and started to move, Peter spoke up. "Yeah, but he also thinks you're dating Spider-Man."

"What?"

"I -- Spider-Man may have talked to the Human Torch Saturday night after the incident," Peter said sheepishly. "I ... I needed to talk to someone about the situation."

"God, he's going to think I'm a cheater," Harry groaned.

"He's not going to think that," Peter said. The elevator dinged and the doors open. Peter pulled Harry into the hall. "Come on."

Peter introduced Harry to Ezra, as he was on his way to the shower after swim practice. Harry talked with Daniel while Peter changed, taking a glance in when he knew Peter was changing his shirt. Johnny walked by, patting Daniel on the shoulder, taking a quick glance at who he was talking to before walking into the kitchen ... Only to walk back out when he realized it was Harry.

"Hey," Johnny said, a little confused on why Harry was in their suite. "How's your arm?"

"It's had better days," Harry shrugged, slightly moving the arm in his sling. "Fractured a rib, too."

"Yikes," Johnny said. "Glad it's not worse."

The toaster popped, pulling Daniel away from the boys.

"Yeah, same," Harry said, taking a glance into Peter's room. Peter walked out, meeting Harry's glance with a quick kiss. 

"I'll still get your bag," Peter said, reaching down for Harry's bookbag. Johnny wrinkled his brow, as he connected the dots. His expression widened, as he realized Harry was the boyfriend Peter kept talking about.

"Hey, Peter -- Oh shit," Johnny said, his attention suddenly to his black eye and swollen cheek. "What happened to your face?"

"Fight club," Peter said without missing a beat. "We meet on Sundays. Have you met Harry?"

"Uh, yeah," Johnny said. "We have Computer Engineering and Physics together."

"I also help him with his biology assignments, since his suitemate turned him down to help," Harry added, giving a wink at Peter before turning his attention back to Johnny. "Were you able to get that assignment finished?"

"Yeah," Johnny said, rubbing the back of his neck. "My sister helped with the rest. Hey, if you guys aren't in a hurry, let me go get a marker to sign your cast." He quickly dashed into his room to his desk. Peter looked at Harry, as suddenly the wires connected.

"Don't tell me you forgot that your suitemate is Johnny Storm," Harry laughed.

"No, I -- Nevermind, it's not important." Peter said, realizing it was probably best that he didn't mention that Johnny was asking him for dating advice Saturday morning before he went off to his study date with his biology tutor. "I'm going to grab my jacket. It was kind of chilly."

As soon as Peter walked back in his room for his jacket, Johnny came back into the hallway, marker in hand. Harry helped angle his cast in his sling for the best writing spots. 

"Right here looks --" Johnny stopped, suddenly acknowledging the large "Spidey" across his cast. _God._ Spider-Man was asking for it. He cleared his throat. "Right here looks good." Using the thick marker, he scrawled "JOHNNY" knowing better than to put his full name. Harry can't be connected to both superheroes.

"Thanks," Harry grinned. "It's nice having more than just Peter's name on my arm."

"Y-yeah," Johnny said. Maybe he needed to have the superhero safety talk with Harry, too. "About that. You should really take precautions --"

"Hey, I'll sign," Daniel said, coming from the kitchen with a piece of buttered toast in his mouth.He took the marker from Johnny's hand, quickly signing "danny r." Peter slipped back out of his room, jean jacket on and his backpack over it. He picked up Harry's bag again and smirked at the new names on his arm.

He pressed a quick kiss against Harry's jaw. "Don't collect too many names or you're going to make me jealous." Johnny wrinkled his brow.

Harry laughed, "Come on. We gotta go if we want to grab coffee." He started toward the door.

"Hey, Peter," Johnny said, reaching out to stop Peter. Harry continued to the door without him, knowing that he wasn't going to actually leave without Peter. Johnny lowered his voice. "Hey are you okay?"

"Uh, yeah," Peter said. "I just ... got into a fight. You should see the other guy."

"Yeah, okay," Johnny said cautiously, letting for of Peter's arm. "Hey, I just -- I noticed there was someone else's name on Harry's cast. Does that ... concern you?"

"Spider-Man's?" Peter asked cautiously, as he readjusted his bag. He glanced to Harry, who was now caught in a conversation with Daniel about the upcoming play. "N-no. I mean, he saved Harry. I'm not ... worried about that."

"Okay," Johnny said. "Let me know if you need me to talk with him, okay?"

Peter blinked for a second before remembering Johnny Storm was open about his identity. He nodded. "Y-yeah, sure. Thanks." He walked away, snaking a free hand around Harry's waist to pull him away from Daniel. Johnny could faintly hear Peter joke to Daniel, "Don't steal my boyfriend, Danny," before they left the room.

Something felt off to Johnny. He knew Peter was being playful about being jealous ... but he wasn't the least concern about Harry bearing Spider-Man's nickname on his forearm? Johnny saw the way Spider-Man treated Harry after Doc Ock's attack. That wasn't just caring for a civilian. Spider-Man admitted that Harry and him were _something,_ without clarifying what that something was. But it was clear to tell that it wasn't something that was new. Peter had to know that Harry's attention was divided. The two were clearly attached from the hip (and grossly touchy, if this was Reed and Sue, Johnny would be making barfing noises in the background). How did Harry find the time to spend with Spider-Man without Peter catching on? Peter was practically in Harry's dorm room daily. There's no way Harry could sneak around with Spider-Man.

But when Johnny asked him to study, he found time without Peter.

When he asked Johnny to reschedule and Johnny asked if they wanted to meet at a coffeeshop, Harry agreed and said "it's a date." Harry's not that dense, right? Was Harry a cheater? Should Johnny bring this up to Peter? He barely knew him and he barely knew Harry, but he knew Harry's background. Reed had always complained about Oscorp, saying that they had shady projects that never see public eye. If Harry was anything like his father, he may be pulling the wool over Peter's eyes.

Either way, Johnny had to talk to one of the guys. He needed to tell Spider-Man that he made Harry a target with the careful scrawling of his name. He wanted to ask Peter what he knew about Spider-Man and if he had any connection to Harry. And he wanted to tell Harry that he knew about the ... whatever he had with Spider-Man and that he needed to be careful. 

Johnny sighed, rubbing the tiredness from his face. When did he become the den mother of this suite? When did he become his sister?

\-----

Peter sat high up on a scaffolding, feet dangling over the edge. His phone in his hand, quietly searching for crime on the police scanner as he sent a quick text to Harry.

14:35

_P: Let me know if you need anything_

_P: And I'll swing your way_

_H: You're terrible_

_H: Thanks. I'm going to nap_

_H: Save the world from Sinestro or a bodega theft_

_P: Most likely the latter_

"Hey." 

Johnny's voice startled Spider-Man, as he almost dropped his phone. He quickly grabbed it and set it aside as he turned his attention to the Human Torch engulfed in flames floating in front of him. "Hey, Flamehead. What's up?"

"Not much," He said. He reached out for the scaffolding, extinguishing his flames from his hands as he grabbed onto the metal guard. As soon as he grabbed onto it, he let the flames die down. He climbed over the guard and sat down next to Spider-Man. "You?"

"Just hanging around," Spider-Man shrugged. "Just uh, waiting for crime to bust. You want to join?"

"Yeah sure," Johnny said, leaning back. "Have you checked on Harry?"

"What?" Spider-Man looked at Johnny. "Oh, yeah. I -- uh -- saw him yesterday."

Johnny nodded, watching the clouds in the sky as he tried to figure out what he wanted to say. "You keeping an ear out for Doc Ock?"

"Nah," Spider-Man said. "I'm not worried about him right now."

"Really?" Johnny raised an eyebrow. "Saturday night you were ready to hunt him down."

"Yeah, I ... I found him Sunday," Spider-Man said. "I mean, it was kind of a trap that I fell into but it all worked out."

"What do you mean it was a trap?"

"Like a lure," Spider-Man explained. "I followed the calls and what I thought was Doc Ock destroying an apartment complex was really Doc Ock helping a construction company knock down an old building."

"Why would he want to lure you?" Johnny asked. "I mean, you're not worth much and you didn't stop him. He dropped Harry."

"Don't remind me," Spider-Man groaned. "I'm not sure but he beat the shit out of me. Anyway, I got him. Webbed him up and the police took him in. So, Harry's safe and that's all that matters to me."

"You know he has a boyfriend."

Peter tensed up. "What?" He asked, as if he misheard Johnny.

"He has a boyfriend," Johnny said, leaning forward. "Did you know about that?"

"I --"

"God, I knew it," Johnny stood up. "Fucking Osborn is corrupt like his dad --"

Spider-Man grabbed Johnny's wrist. "Harry is nothing like his dad. And Norman's just ..." He trailed off, trying to figure out if he really wants to defend Norman. 

"Do you actually know Norman?" Johnny pulled his wrist from Spider-Man's grip. "Let me guess, you have dinner at their penthouse every Thursday. Do you wear a black suit over the spandex?"

"Why do you care?" Spider-Man snapped. 

"Because I actually give a shit about others," Johnny snapped back. "You think writing your name on Harry's cast was a great idea? News flash, asshole **:** it wasn't."

"Okay, you can't lecture me with memes," Spider-Man said frustrated.

"This is what I'm talking about," Johnny said, running his hands through his hair. "You care dipshit about Harry --"

"You can't say that," Spider-Man said, standing up. "You don't know me and you don't know Harry. You've known us for what? Two weeks? I've known Harry my entire life you can't tell me I care dipshit about him. I love him."

Johnny studied Spider-Man for a moment, trying to read his body language without facial cues. He ran his hand through his hair. "So, what? Is his boyfriend a beard or something? He cares about Harry, Spidey. You guys really need to tell him that he's a beard if that's what's going on. God. I just --" He sighed, climbing over the guard rail. He looked at Spider-Man before pushing off and igniting. "Lost all my respect for you guys. God." He took off.

Spider-Man sighed, running his hand over the top of his mask. He better remember to let Harry know that Johnny's going to be mad at them. His phone buzzed loudly. He picked it up and glanced at the texts from Harry.

_H: Hey, you should grab subs for supper_

_H: Subs and lattes_

_H: let me know when you go and i'll order them ahead so you dont have to pay_

_H: Or i'll pay you back_

_H: do you even carry your wallet when you patrol?_

_P: I thought you were going to nap?_

"You're Peter Parker." Spider-Man looked up, wide-eyed at the Human Torch as he floated in front of him, engulfed in flames. His tone hardly louder than a whisper even though the nearest person was at least 600 feet below them. "You're _fucking_   Peter Parker."


	14. "We pay the NYPD for a reason."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey!! Another update. I think I got my plot in the direction I need it to go, so updates should be quicker!
> 
> also: expect more johnny storm because i started to read some fantastic four in the past two weeks and i love one (1) fire boy

Peter was dumbfounded, staring back at the man on fire. "What?"

"You're Peter Parker," Johnny said a little louder, still not loud enough for anyone else to hear them. 

"What no," Spider-Man said, locking his phone and putting it away. He stood up. "What would make you think that I'm him? Because I'm clearly not. He's like, five inches shorter than me and I'm waaay stronger. That Parker kid? Scrawny as fuck. He's like a twig."

Johnny crossed his arms, watching Spider-Man scramble for excuses. 

"I'm waaaay hotter. Just ask Harry -- Actually don't, because he's probably --"

"Attached to the hip to Peter?"

"No, I -- I was going to say asleep," Spider-Man said. "He's resting -- or he should be. After breaking his arm and surgery and his rib. He'd be a dumbass if he wasn't resting right now."

Peter's phone buzzed loudly.

Johnny's eyes went to his hip, then back to Spider-Man's face. 

"Like I said," Spider-Man said. "He'd be a dumbass if he wasn't resting."

"I thought Harry didn't know your identity."

"He doesn't --"

"Then how can he tell if you're hotter?" Johnny said, smirking. He extinguishing his flames from his hands as he grabbed onto the metal guard. He swiftly climbed over the guard, completely extinguishing himself as he sat on the guard. 

"He -- he can just know," Spider-Man stumbled, waving his arms around. "You know?"

"No, I don't," Johnny rolled his eyes. "I think you're lying to me."

"I'm not lying," Spider-Man said, his voice cracking mid-lie. He cleared his throat. "I mean, I'm not lying."

"Then you don't mind if I'd make a phone call, right now?" Johnny said pulling his phone out. He quickly navigated through his contacts and put his phone up to his ear.

"No, but I really think you should leave Harry alone. He needs his --" Spider-Man's phone started to buzz.

"You going to get that?" Johnny smirked.

"N-no," Spider-Man crossed his arms. "It would be rude to answer the phone while I'm talking to you."

"Alright," Johnny said, keeping his attention on Spider-Man as his phone continued to buzz. Once it stopped, Johnny started to leave a voicemail. "Hey Peter! It's Johnny. Johnny Storm. Y'know, your suitemate. The one that's sitting right in front of you --"

"Okay delete that," Spider-Man said, reaching out toward Johnny's phone. Johnny leaned away.

"-- I was hoping to figure out when you're gonna stop lying to me --"

"Nobody leaves voicemails anymore," Spider-Man said, as he jumped to grab Johnny's phone. He was going to have to do so much to get rid of that notification **:** he was gonna have to actually listen to the message.

"-- Call me back as soon as you can. Or don't, since, y'know, you're right here. Okay bye," Johnny hung up the phone. Spider-Man relaxed, knowing that he can't do anything now. His phone buzzed.

"So is that a text or ...?"

"Fuck you, man," Spider-Man groaned. He rubbed his hands on his face. Was it too late to ask to switch suites? "Okay, fine." He reached to pull his mask up. "So what if I am --"

Johnny grabbed his arm, stopping him from pulling the mask past his nose. "You ... don't have to."

"So what if I am Peter Parker?" Spider-Man said, as he pulled the mask back down over his mouth. Johnny let go of his arm. "So what does that mean?"

"That you can stop lying to me," Johnny said. "That you can stop lying to Harry --"

"Harry knows."

"Then why did you tell me that he didn't?" Johnny wrinkled his brow.

"Because I didn't want you to piece my identity together."

"That worked out well, didn't it?" Johnny smirked. "Why didn't you want me to figure out? We were suitemates, I was gonna figure out eventually."

"Okay, that's true," Peter said, leaning on the guardrail. "But I also didn't piece the fact that you were my suitemate until we were fighting Doc Ock."

"Really?" Johnny laughed. "I don't hide my identity at all. The exact opposite of that actually. We're practically celebrities."

"I just don't think I heard your last name," Peter said. "I mean, I knew you looked familiar, but I just figured you were a pretty face from Midtown or a rival school."

"You think my face is pretty?"

 _"You_ know your face is pretty," Peter rolled his eyes. Peter swayed against the guardrail, leaning forward over the rail, glancing down at the city below them. He leaned back, looking at Johnny. "... What gave me away?"

"Honestly? The fact that you care so much for Harry," Johnny said. "And the fact that Peter Parker didn't care at all about Spidey. I mean, like I said, you and Harry are attached at the hip. No, actually, You know what? At the _lips._ Like, literally this morning, you guys wouldn't stop making out in the --"

"We weren't making out."

"-- Wouldn't stop," Johnny continued. "Also, by the way, writing 'Spidey' across Harry's arm was the stupidest thing I've ever seen."

"I thought it was cute."

"You were worried like two days ago about putting a target on Harry's back," Johnny rolled his eyes. "So instead, you put it on his arm."

Peter opened his mouth, closing it instantly. "Oh my god, I'm an idiot."

"Yeah, we all knew that," Johnny said. "How long has he known?"

"About this?" Peter said, playing with his suit. "Since April." 

"Man, you guys act like you just started this," Johnny laughed. He paused for a few moments as he thought about some of his conversations with Peter about his boyfriend. "Did you say that you guys have been dating for a while?"

"Uh, yeah," Peter said, jumping the rail and sitting next to Johnny. He swung his legs. "Actually, our one year anniversary is coming up in like two weeks."

"Why did you go so long without telling him?"

"I ... I thought it would be safer," Peter admitted. "And this past weekend showed me it was."

"Hardly," Johnny scoffed. "He would've been kidnapped if it wasn't for us and who knows what would've happened. Plus, if he's known since April and this is the first time he's been attacked --"

"He's been out of the country since April," Peter said. Johnny gave him a puzzled look. Peter sighed. "It's a long story. Let's just say he found out my secret identity in one of the worst ways possible and panicked. The first day of class was the first time I've seen him since he left."

"Jeez," Johnny said, leaning back. "No wonder you guys are acting like honeymooners." 

"Are we _that_ obnoxious?" Peter glanced at Johnny. Almost too perfect timing, Peter's phone went off with a soft police siren. He pulled it out and pressed the notification, letting the police scanner come through, detailing a robbery in progress. 

"You're really asking _that?"_ Johnny laughed as he pushed off the guard and ignited. "Come on, let's go." He took off. Peter smirked and followed Johnny.

\-----

Harry woke up in cold sweats. He sat up, quickly bringing his knees to his chest. 

He hasn't had a bad dream since Peter started to sleep beside him. He hasn't had this bad of a dream in weeks. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, instantly finding them filled with exhaustion. God, he just wished the images of his nightmare would fade.

Flashes of Peter in blood. Blue and purple bruises covered every inch of visible skin. His suit torn. His body limp. His breath barely visible in the cold of the night. 

Harry could remember Peter's name on the tip of his tongue, but it wouldn't leave his lips. He remembered looking down at his bare right hand, Peter's mask in his hand. He held it tightly, not wanting to let go of it. Harry knew that he didn't beat Peter on purpose that night, but ... but this felt different. This wasn't that night. He stood Goblin-less in front of a bloodied Peter. He could feel the cold wind against his face. The Hudson River below them, below traffic, below the bridge, made everything feel cooler. Almost a relaxing feeling, but Harry couldn't find himself relaxing. He didn't know how he got here, how Peter got here, who hurt Peter.

Harry bent down, slowly reaching out to Peter with his left hand. He stopped. His left hand was encased in the Goblin's gauntlet, the knuckles bloodied. He stumbled backward, arm extended out. He wanted the gauntlet off. He didn't want to do anything with it. He wanted to take it off and throw it into the Hudson. He wanted it gone. Harry dropped Spider-Man's mask and grabbed at the gauntlet, trying to force it off. It felt fused to his skin. It hurt trying to remove it. He had to try everything. He searched for a release along the side, digging his fingertips at every groove he felt. He needed this off.

"Dude, what the fuck!" The door slammed shut, pulling Harry out of his thoughts. He stopped scratching at the cast, bringing his attention to Peter. Peter threw the lone key on the desk as he rushed to Harry, pulling his free hand away from the cast. "Holy shit, dude. You can't do this. What's going on?"

Harry studied Peter, trying to remember when did he wake up from his dream. The Hudson River was right there. It felt so real. But ... he woke up. Why did it feel so real again? He reached out, Peter's hand still around his wrist, and touched Peter's cheek. _He was real._ "I ... I had a nightmare." 

Peter relaxed his grip around Harry's wrist. He leaned in, pressing a soft kiss against Harry's forehead. "Do you want to talk about it?" He brought his other hand down Harry's cast, feeling the new ridges with his fingertips. "About _this?"_

Harry took a moment, taking in the warmth of Peter's lips again his skin before nodding softly. "I had the dream again, about that night, except it was different. It was on the GWB. And I wasn't the Goblin, but I had the glove. I just --" He glanced at the scratches on his cast. "--Had to get it off."

Peter pressed another soft kiss against Harry's forehead. "I didn't know that was a reoccurring dream."

"It's the first time in a long time," Harry said, his voice filled with exhaustion. How did he wake up more tired than before napping. He leaned into Peter, closing his eyes. Peter wrapped his arms around him, rubbing his hand on his back. He took in a deep breath, breathing in Peter's scent, faintly smelling like sweat but ultimately like comfort. With a hint of toasted marshmallow ... _burnt_ marshmallow. Harry pulled away and smirked. "Did you see Johnny today?"

"Uh, yeah, actually," Peter laughed. "Hey, he knows."

"Like, _knows_ knows?" Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Peter said. "He said I wasn't jealous enough of Spider-Man."

Harry laughed. "I honestly have no clue how I didn't figure out sooner."

"I don't know how I didn't figure out about the Goblin," Peter said softly. He moved his hands from around Harry's back, bringing one to his cast, running his fingertips down some of the deep scratches on the cast. Harry's nails dug deep into the top layer, pulling some of the color and some of the marker ink off. Most of the names were still legible **:** Johnny, Daniel, Cindy, Eddie Brock, Sammie G. & Bobby, MJ and Doreen. Peter and his heart were untouched, but the 'Spidey' signature was scratched, for short scratches ran through the name. "I see you racked up a few more names."

Harry kept his eyes on Peter. He didn't want to look at the cast. "A few more. I think Eddie conned the others into signing."

"When did you catch MJ?" Peter asked. "I haven't seen her since Flash's last party?"

"Outside the library before lunch," Harry said. "She heard about the accident and swung by campus. Speaking of --"

"MJ?"

"No, lunch," Harry said. "Did you grab subs?"

"Nah, I needed to grab my wallet."

"I could've ordered ahead before you came," Harry said. He reached over and grabbed his phone to see if he could get food delivered. Now seeing that he had a couple of unread texts from Peter.

"Yeah," Peter laughed. "I texted you and you didn't respond. So I figured you were still asleep."

"Thanks for coming to check on me," Harry leaned in, pressing a soft kiss against Peter's lips. "Well, let's go out for supper." Harry slipped off the bed and slipped on his jeans. 

"Like dining hall out or --"

"No, like _out_ out," Harry said as he went to the desk, opening the drawer to find his wallet. It was tossed lazily on top of his pill bottles. He thought for a moment, thinking about the pain that kept shooting up his arm. He guessed that's what he gets for trying to push his cast off. He glanced at Peter as he reached for the lone key on the top of the desk. "Hey you can keep this," he tossed the key to Peter, who caught it instantly. "I got the RA to give me the other out of sympathy. I told him I lost the original. Are you going to wear your suit under your clothes at dinner?"

"I kind of planned on it," Peter said, shrugging. "I figured I'd go back out for another patrol tonight. Should I change?"

"I mean, I just figured burgers. It's your choice," Harry shrugged.

Peter picked up his hoodie and pulled it over his nose, taking a deep smell of his suit. "Okay, yeah." He slipped his hoodie off and slipped off his pants. God, Harry wanted to watch him change clothes, but he needed a distraction. He went for his wallet, slipping it into his back pocket and then tried his best to open the pill bottle one handed. After the third try, he felt the cap slightly move. He released his pressure and pulled the cap off. He pulled out a single white pill, slipped it into his pocket and shut the desk drawer. He turned around just in time to see Peter buttoning his pants, then reaching for his hoodie.

"You can wear one of my shirts, if you don't want to wear that," Harry said, reaching for his water bottle on the desk. He took a sip of water as he watched Peter decide between his hoodie or one of Harry's shirts. God. He just wanted to pull him back to bed ... but with the nightmare he just had, he wasn't sure if he could be _intimate_ with Peter without thinking about Peter near death.

"Yeah, that'd be nice," Peter smiled, pressing a quick kiss against Harry's lips before going to his dresser. When did he get that close to Harry? Harry needed to stop zoning out. He ran his hand up and down his cast, feeling the grooves of his scratches under his palm, trying to soothe the pain under the cast. He exhaled softly and reached for his water bottle. Which he placed ... somewhere? He turned, smacking his cast against the bed post.

"Fuck!" He groaned, grabbing his arm. He wasn't this close to the bed a second ago. Peter instantly turned around, shirt barely on.

"Dude, you gotta be careful," Peter said, quickly putting the shirt on and rushed to Harry to comfort him.

"I'm fine," Harry said, biting his lip. "I'm okay."

Peter pressed his hand against Harry's cheek. "I'm going to wrap you up bubblewrap."

Harry rolled his eyes. He looked at Peter's choice of shirt, tight against his muscles. "You look better in my shirt than I do."

"I think that's objective," Peter smirked, pressing a quick kiss against Harry's lips before going to put on his shoes. Harry took a careful look around the room before finding his water bottle on top of the dresser. He went and picked it up, taking a small sip, watching Peter carefully. Once Peter's attention was fully on tying his shoes, Harry quickly slipped the small pill between his lips and took a drink of water. "Hey," Peter spoke up. Harry looked at Peter, swallowing. "Let's put your sling on. So you don't hit it on anything else."

"Yeah," Harry nodded, setting the water bottle back on the dresser and reached for the sling hanging over the desk's chair. "Yeah, that's a good idea."

Peter nodded, finishing tying his laces before getting up and helping Harry into his sling. He placed a few soft kisses against Harry's neck before sliding the shoulder strap over his head. "Come on," Peter snaked his way around Harry, pressing a soft kiss against his lips. He took his free hand, pulling him to the door. Almost at the door, Peter stopped. "Wait."

Peter let go of Harry's hand and going back to the other end of the room, where his suit was lazily stuffed into his bag, covered by his hoodie. He tossed the hoodie aside and stuffed the suit farther down. He zipped up the bag and slipped it on, walking back to Harry ... who pressed his lips in disapproval. 

"It's just for emergencies," Peter reassured, wrapping his arms around Harry's waist. "I promise you. Dinner and then we came come back and make out on your bed for however long you want."

Harry studied Peter for a moment, making sure that he truly meant just for emergency. But it was hard to doubt him when he's this close. Harry nodded. Peter leaned in to press a soft kiss. "But," Harry said, leaning slightly away from the kiss. "I get to call when it's an emergency."

"But --"

"No petty crimes," Harry started, grinning. "If the cops can handle it, let them. We pay the NYPD for a reason."

"But --"

"If the Human Torch or Iron Man or Wonder Woman --"

"Wonder Woman's not real," Peter laughed.

"If they're handling the bad guy, let 'em," Harry leaned in, finishing the kiss. 

"Mr. Osborn, you drive a hard bargain," Peter said, in his best business voice. He kept his mouth millimeters away from Harry's. "But I'll bite."

Harry grinned. _"Oh._ Is this what it's like to --"  Peter pulled away from Harry before he could complete the kiss or his sentence.

"You should rethink that sentence before I kinkshame you," Peter laughed, grabbing Harry's hand. "Come on. Let's go get burgers."

The burger joint wasn't too far away. Peter requested that they'd stay close to campus. Harry was supposed to be resting. And taking the express to Brooklyn for "the best burgers in all of New York" was not resting. At least this was just a couple blocks north from campus.

But these burgers were just as good, if not better. At least, they were in Peter's mind.

It was nice just going out for a normal date, finding something stress-relieving away from campus. Away from priorities. Away from ... oh god, Peter had a test tomorrow. Shit.

"Hey," Harry said, pulling Peter away from his thoughts. "Do you want to take the long way back? We could walk through the park."

"Yeah," Peter nodded. "Yeah, that would be great."

The two made their way to Riverside Park. They joked about how the heat wave was going to melt them before they could feel the breeze of the river. They talked about some of their classes and upcoming assignments. And together, they forgot about Spider-Man and the Goblin and the villains that pollute New York City. For once, they felt like a normal couple.

"I think I have my camera," Peter said, as he slung his bookbag off his back. "We can take some photos while we're here." He turned to Harry, who was frozen in his steps, looking toward the river. "Hare, you okay?" He ran his hand up and down Harry's bicep.

Harry pressed his lips together, keeping his attention toward the river in the distance. He tried to steady his voice, trying to keep his calm, but his panic rising caused his quiet voice to falter. "Please look at the GWB and tell me I'm not hallucinating again."

"Hey," Peter said, giving a soft squeeze to Harry's arm. "I know you said the GWB was in your nightmare today. There's plenty of park we can enjoy where it's out of sight and --"

"No, Pete. Look."

Peter turned to look. Something was flying over the GWB. No, _someone_. And it looked like the Goblin. Peter turned to look back at Harry.

"I -- I think this counts as an emergency," He said quietly, still stunned at actually seeing the Goblin. It was hard to tell in the distance, but that glider's movement was recognizable. He'd be surprised if it wasn't the Goblin.

"Okay, okay," Peter said, exhaling quickly. He ran his hands through his hair. "Okay. I'll run and deal with him real quick. Shoo him away. Or something. I'll meet you at Grant Memorial."

"Okay," the word rolled off Harry's tongue without contest, as his eyes glued to the Goblin flying over the Hudson. If this wasn't a serious situation, he might have considered complaining about hanging around an old president's grave site. He turned his attention to Peter, leaning in for a quick kiss. Suddenly, Harry remembered that they had the upper hand. Harry's been the Goblin before. He knows the suit's secrets. "Hey, wait. We were wanting blood samples, but last I knew, we had planned on bringing you in for testing. The electric sensors are on the palms and a few on the upper arm. The small orbs have a 10 second delay. The pumpkin bomb has a motion sensor, but we only had one prototype." Harry brought his hand up to Peter's jaw. "Please be safe. Keep your distance."

"Thanks," Peter nodded, leaning in for another quick kiss before running off.

Harry took a deep breath and exhaled. He closed his hand, Peter's touch still faint on his skin. He took another deep breath and ran his hand through his hair. "Please be safe," He whispered in his exhale as he started south to, apparently, chill with a dead president until Spider-Man's superheroeing.


	15. 'I think we should break up.'

Mask in hand, Peter took a deep breath. 

He told Harry to meet him at the General Grant National Memorial. He knew that he could be safe there ... as long as Spider-Man kept the trouble away. He slipped on the final piece of his uniform before swinging out of the alleyway and toward the Hudson River, where they last saw the Green Goblin flying over the George Washington Bridge. He wondered if it may have been a waste of time. If he took too long to change or if the Goblin was just flying through. His senses went off slightly, causing him to angle his body and catch sight of the Goblin on top of the closest tower of the bridge, waiting.

He couldn't have known that Spider-man was going to be in the area ... right? Did the Goblin know Peter's identity? But nobody knew that they were going out for supper. Harry and Peter didn't tell anyone. 

Peter sighed as he swung over, knowing he was going against one of Harry's advices. _Keep your distance._ He pulled himself up to the top of the tower, staying on the opposite side of the tower. He'll do his best to keep his distance.

"I thought that was you I saw swinging around," The Goblin jeered. "This is pretty north for you."

"I've patrolled Bronx before, so I've been norther," Spider-Man said. "More North? You know. I'm not sure which to use. You wouldn't say Northest, if something's the most north, would you?"

"Do you ever hear yourself talk?"

"Nah, not really," Spider-Man said. "I usually block myself out and I spit out word vomit. Now, can I ask a question? What are you doing?"

"That's two questions," the Goblin said. "Would you believe me if I said I'm enjoying the view of the Hudson?"

"They have parks for that," Spider-Man said. "You should try it sometime."

"Maybe I just wanted to talk with you," the Goblin said.

"What if I don't want to talk?" Spider-Man said, knowing that he's most-likely going to talk.

"Then listen. I have a proposition for you," the Goblin said. "We want to hire you. My team needs you. We can't move forward with our projects without you."

Peter hesitated. He knew the projects the Goblin wanted Spider-Man to be involved in **:** the projects that involve super soldiers ... and Harry's Project Green. But he's not supposed to know that. "For super soldiers?" Spider-Man asked cautiously.

"For Harry," The Goblin replied coolly. Peter tensed at the mention of his name. The Goblin's tone, usually harsh and taunting, carried Harry's name lightly but threw it hard at Peter. Peter knew he was a vital part of Project Green, but he didn't expect to hear that Harry was the Goblin's main focus. "Without his medication, he will die. And you, Spider-Man, are his cure."

Peter tried to read the Goblin. If he was trying to pull at Peter's heart strings or if he was lying about how dire the situation was. He knew Harry's serum was derived from his blood and that it was the best serum that they had created ... but was it his cure? If he was, Peter wanted to say yes. He wanted to be apart of the team to cure Harry, but he knew he couldn't. If the Goblin had plans for super soldiers, he couldn't be a part of that. He couldn't predict the outcome of Oscorp with super soldiers. What if they get into the wrong hands? What if they were used for the wrong reasons? Even if super soldiers weren't a part of the equation, Peter couldn't accept. Harry wouldn't want him to.

"I know about your relationship with Harry." Peter felt his heart stop. He see the Goblin's grin peak under the helmet, knowing he had struck a chord. "I thought you were the talkative hero? Not a single word to say now that I've addressed something personal?"

"I would but, uh," Spider-man stumbled, before finding a steady voice of confidence. "I have nothing to say to you." The Goblin slowly started to approach Spider-Man, who felt frozen in place. He knew he needed to leave. The closer the Goblin got, the more danger he was in.

"I was curious to know, Spider-Man, if you would die for him," The Goblin said, rather than asked, stopping less than an arm's length away from Spider-Man. His senses were going off in every direction. The Goblin lowered his chin, as to lock eyes with Spider-Man. Even with both their eyes concealed, Peter felt the Goblin's burning stare behind the golden metallic eyes. "Because I would. I would die for Harry."

Peter opened his mouth, almost not wanting the words to come out. He would. He would die for Harry ... but he couldn't let the Goblin know that. He already knows that Harry would be a way to get to him. Spider-Man should've denied that. His spider-senses were still going off intensely. He took a step backward, balancing on the edge as he tried to distance himself from the Goblin. Suddenly, it dawned on him. "Oh god, this is a trap." He needed to stop falling for these.

"Not exactly," The Goblingrinned. "It was to draw you in for our talk. You just happen to find the bait before the bait went off."

"What do you mean 'the bait'?" Spider-Man narrowed his eyes. The Goblin said nothing, but took a single step backward. He glanced at his wrist, activating a small projected clock screen. Peter glanced, realizing it was a countdown.

"You have two minutes to find the bomb," The Goblin said, almost too calmly. He removed the glider from his back. He walked to the other side of the tower, tossing the glider off the edge. As soon as it left his hand, the glider activated, hovering along the side of the tower. He glanced toward Spider-Man before stepping on the glider. "Think about my offer. And, Spider-Man?" He took one last glance at the vigilante before taking off. "One minute, forty seconds. Good luck."

Peter started to panic. He wasn't sure where the bomb would be. Attached to the suspension cords? Under the first level? The second level? God. He had to act fast. He jumped off the tower, allowing himself to fall toward the river. At the last moment, he casted a web, swinging himself underneath the bridge. Constantly searching for anything that could be an improvised explosive device. He tried to hurry, searching for any sign of the bomb. He found himself growing closer to the New Jersey turnpike before realizing that his senses were dulling.

"Fuck!" He said, quickly turning around. He should have investigated the tower before he moved. His senses were going off the wall _because of the bomb_. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" 

He had to move faster. He didn't have much time left and he wasn't sure what he could do if the bridge collapsed. He needed to think fast.

*****

Harry sat at the top of the steps of the General Grant National Memorial. He wanted to keep an eye out at the GWB to see what was going on, but he knew it would only cause him anxiety. He couldn't tell which was worse **:** watching his boyfriend, _the superhero,_  fight a villain or the fact that the villain he was fighting was the Green Goblin, the suit Harry once wore. Harry's gut twisted. He didn't know who was under the helmet, and it killed him to see the Goblin in the distance. He retired the Goblin. He wanted to put the Goblin behind him. But he was still here, flying over the GWB tauntingly.

"Oh god," Harry mumbled, putting his head between his knees. His mind suddenly filled with his nightmare from earlier. Peter in his torn suit, covered in blood, Harry reaching out to comfort him, only to find the Goblin's gauntlet on his arm, with Peter's blood on the knuckles. Harry took in a deep breath as he sat up, slowly running his free hand against the cloth of the sling. It was only a nightmare. He needed to distract himself. He tried to play with the band of his new watch, the skeleton of the one he used to wear. It was no use looking at his vitals as it was missing the technology to check his serum levels. The watch could tell Harry his blood pressure and heart rate. He knew those were high without even looking.

He picked up his phone and held it in his free hand, wanting to find a distraction on social media, but he couldn't. He flipped the phone in his hand, occasionally pressing the home button as he waited for a notification from Peter. He couldn't get his focus off of what could be happening in the distance. God, he wanted to look. He wasn't sure if he could even see the fight from here, but it ached not knowing what was going on. He looked up from his phone to the few people around the memorial.

The memorial was closed for the evening, but that wouldn't stop tourists from admiring the building architect. Suddenly, their attention moved from the mausoleum to the sky. Their murmurs scattered as they tried to figure out what was above them. Harry leaned forward, looking up before scrambling backward, hopefully hidden by the columns as the Goblin flew above him. He couldn't be seen by him. If this Goblin was working for Oscorp, then he would report to Norman. And Harry couldn't let him know that he was out, let alone somewhere near Spider-Man. That could lead to his dad jumping to conclusions, especially if Doc Ock figured the two out. His dad was smart. They needed to be careful. 

"Oh shit," Harry whispered, realizing if he saw the Goblin, Spider-Man should be shortly behind him. He knew the glider was fast and could easily lose Spider-Man, but Peter wouldn't let him get away that easy. Harry waited a minute before sliding out from the columns, knowing that he should be out of sight from the Goblin. He unlocked his phone, opening his conversation with Peter, hoping for the text-in-progress bubble to pop up, either letting him know that he was heading back or chasing the Goblin. He glanced toward the city, keeping an eye out for the red and blue vigilante. After a few moments, he started to worry. Maybe Peter could be in danger? The Goblin left pretty quickly.

No.

Peter could put up a fight. Harry had struggled to stun Spider-Man because he always put up a fight. Peter is fine. Peter had to make sure the city was safe. He locked his phone and held it tightly, waiting to feel it vibrate in his palm. He stood up off the steps and walked to the north side of the memorial, he wanted to see Peter come back. Seeing him in the distance would calm his nerves.

Harry could hear some of the tourists talk in the distance, happy that Harry had moved so they could get photos of the building without a 'moody teenager' in the frame. He glanced over his shoulder, shooting the tourists a dirty look. 

A loud explosion wiped the look off Harry's face.

His stomach dropped as the tourists pointed behind him, toward the Hudson River.

He quickly turned around. The white water, high in the air, echoed the explosion. Another explosion brought water high above the GWB.  

He could feel his lips move, forming Peter's name, but he couldn't feel his name leave his mouth.

He watched as the water fell back to the river, calming the city into silence. He tried to move forward, needing to find Peter, only to find his knees locked into place. He couldn't breathe as he searched in the distance for the vigilante, hoping he could see him swinging to safety.

His heart beat hard, knocking against his chest demanding to leave. Harry's chest tightened. He ran his free hand against it, realizing how tense he was. His throat felt dry and tough. He opened his mouth to inhale, gasping. His exhale short. He needed to calm down. He tried to inhale again, gasping. He closed his eyes as he leaned back against the building. He tried again, wheezing. 

"Shit," he coughed, closing his eyes and leaning his head up. He had to focus on his breathing, but there was too much to focus on. The air filled with sirens. The tourists quiet murmurs turned into loud discussions. Words like "dangerous" and "unsafe" echoed in Harry's ears. His chest ached. He tried to breathe, finding his inhales replaced with wheezes. He slid down the wall, sitting on the ground, trying to keep his back upright. He needed his inhaler, the one shoved in the back of his desk drawer untouched. He thought he was over this. He hasn't had an asthma attack since he arrived back to New York. 

Time passed slowly as the sirens died down. Maybe that was a good sign. His breathing slowed, but he continued inhaling wheezes and coughing exhales. New York City finding its regular sounds of cars passing and horns honking. The tourists' chatters quieted. Joggers picking up their paces along the trails.

"Harry!"

Harry opened his eyes, realizing the sound of the jogger was Peter, running toward him. Before Harry could start to get up, Peter knelt in front of him.

"You look exhausted," Peter said, running his hand along Harry's jaw.

"I saw the explosions," Harry said, still trying to calm his breathing. "I was -- was worried."

Peter furrowed his brow, realizing something was off. "Are you okay?"

"I am ... now," Harry said, leaning into Peter's hand. "Come on. Let's --" He wheezed. "Let's go get --"

"Can you breathe?" Pete asked. 

"Pete --"

"Can you breathe?" Peter repeated, his question harsh in concern. 

"I'm -- I'm struggling," Harry said slowly. "But I'm ... better now than I --" 

"Than you were?" Peter asked, more concerned than relieved. "Do we need to go to a clinic or an ER or a hospital or to Os--"

"No," Harry interrupted. He wheezed. God, _that will surely_ show Peter he's fine. "Hot coffee would help."

Peter studied Harry for a moment, remembering Harry's asthma-like attacks last year. The attacks passed without treatment ... just as long as they stopped trying to have sex and took a breather. He exhaled softly, standing up. "You wait here. I saw a cart on my way over. Cream and sugar?"

Harry wanted to protest and go with, but he still felt terrible. "No cream, double sugar." 

Peter nodded, pressing a quick, gentle kiss against Harry's forehead before leaving on his search for coffee.

And the coffee did help.

The couple sat behind the memorial, coffees in hand as they waited for Harry's airway to clear. Harry knew that he needed to use the inhaler once they got back to the dorm, but for now, coffee was a relief for his throat. He leaned his head against Peter's shoulder as he listened to him explain what happened. That he found the bombs on the tower that Spider-Man and the Goblin were talking on. He pulled them off, throwing them into the Hudson River just in time. Harry almost found himself going into another panic-induced asthma attack as he thought about what could've happened, but Peter softly squeezing his knee pulled him back out of his thoughts. Harry took another drink of his coffee, letting the warmth work its magic. 

"Hey, Harry?" Peter said, diverting the topic from the almost-destruction of the GWB. On the way to the coffee cart, he couldn't help but think about what the Goblin had wanted to talk about with Spider-Man. He couldn't get it off his mind. "Are you ... " Peter trailed off, not wanting to finish _that_ question. "The Goblin wanted to hire me. For Project Green."

"What?"

Peter nodded. "He said they couldn't continue the project without me."

"So the serum's definitely not synthetic," Harry said, sighing. "I won't take it --"

"Hare, you should," Peter said, squeezing Harry's knee. "You need to."

"I did just fine this summer," Harry said quietly, knowing that wasn't completely the truth. He struggled through withdrawals. He found himself relying on oxycondone way too much this summer. He finally pulled himself out of it the past few weeks, but he was also taking the serum a little more than what he wanted to. "I can't pull you into this mess, Peter. You shouldn't be involved just because ... "

"Just because I'm your cure?" Peter finished Harry's sentence. "Hare, that's the exact reason I should be involved."

"Peter," Harry sighed. He closed his eyes, focusing on the warmth of Peter's body against his. "I don't want you to be my lifeline. I've already told you that."

"I know," Peter squeezed Harry's knee again. He sighed deeply. "I know."

After a long silence, Harry spoke up again. "Did he say anything else?" 

"He knows about Spidey and Harry," Peter sighed. He really regrets trying to woo Harry on that rooftop. He hated the target that he painted on Harry's back. 

"Do ... we need to break up?" Harry asked quietly. "I don't want Norman to guilt trip you into joining Project Green if he figures out."

"No. But, uh," Peter said, raising his eyebrow in thought."I think _we_ should break up."

"What the fuck are you talking about that's exactly what I said dumb ass," Harry laughed into a coughing fit. Peter quickly moved his hand to Harry's back, rubbing it gently. Once he leveled his breathing, Harry took the last drink of his coffee. "We should head back to campus."

Peter stood up, reaching down to help Harry. Once they started to walk out of the park, Peter spoke up again. "I meant Spidey and Harry."

"What?"

"I think _we_ should break up," Peter said, locking eyes with Harry.


	16. 'You know what I want?'

Norman Osborn pulled into side street parking along the Columbia campus. Peter and Harry were waiting outside of Carman Hall. Harry leaned against the building, arms crossed, in a sour mood. His sling hung lazily around his neck, pinned between his arm and chest. Peter leaned his shoulder against the wall, quietly studying Harry. Once Harry recognized the car, he spoke up.  He pushed himself off the wall and reached for the bag on the ground, but Peter grabbed it first. Peter whispered something to Harry and pressed a kiss against his cheek as he slung the bag across his shoulder.

A small buzz took Norman’s attention from the boys (and the want for them to hurry up) to the phone that sat in the cupholder. He picked up the phone, quickly responding to the text to let his executive assistant know his schedule. The car door opened as Norman finished his text. He set the phone back down, looking at Harry as he slipped into the car.

“Hey cheer up,” Peter said, setting the bag between Harry’s feet. “We went over your essay like ten times yesterday. You’re going to be fine.”

Harry pressed his lips together and nodded. Peter leaned in the car and pressed another quick kiss against Harry’s cheek.

“I’ll catch you for supper?” Peter asked, leaning back out of the car.

“Yeah,” Harry said, his voice quiet. He nodded, speaking up a little louder. “I’ll text you later.” Peter nodded timidly, shutting the door and moving back to the sidewalk. He watched as the car pulled back onto the road. Norman glanced toward Harry, concerned about the topic. He tried to figure out how to address the topic. He knew Harry was smart. He knew that he didn’t have to try hard to earn good grades. So why was he so worried about his essay?

"You're working hard to keep your grades up, right?" Norman his tone more scornful rather than comforting. Harry shifted his weight in his seat.

"Yeah," Harry said quietly, clearing his voice. "Yeah. University Writing just had a big paper due and it just ... stressed me out I guess."

Norman nodded. "Can't have an Osborn flunking out of Columbia, can we?"

“No,” Harry sighed, leaning back in the chair. He wished he would’ve took the Uber like had originally planned. He ran his hand through his hair. "Won't let that happen.”

"Good," Norman said. "I had planned for you to be my assistant today. We have several meetings today. One will be over lunch. I would have asked for you to suit up, but --" He glanced toward Harry and his cast, covered in names. "-- We can see that's not an option. Your outfit now will work."

"Good," Harry replied, rolling his eyes. "I wasn't sure if the floral button-ups in my backpack would've been a better replacement."

Norman ignored his son's sarcasm. "Do put your arm in the sling. It's unprofessional."

"My broken arm is unprofessional?" Harry asked, extending his arm out to examine it. "Sorry. I'll think about that next time a villain uses me for your money."

"You know what I meant," Norman grumbled, clearly meaning the amount of names on his cast. He knew what teenagers could be like, and he knew what college students were like. He fully expected explicit language on Harry’s cast. He looked back at Harry and his arm, catching a quick glance of Spider-Man's name on the cast. He wasn't too surprised at the name, maybe a little of the carelessness Spider-Man had showed, but he was surprised as the scratches along his name. The scratches looked deep and malevolent. They almost looked self-inflicting.

"Dad. Green." Harry spoke up as soon as another car's horn honked. Norman turned his attention back to the road.

"The names are unprofessional," Norman continued. "You should have taken that into consideration."

"For a temporary cast?" Harry asked. "It's coming off in a few weeks."

"Six."

"Six weeks," Harry said. "It's temporary. We even discussed testing the prototypes for --"

"You're the heir to a company, Harry," Norman interrupted. "You're just as much as the company's face as I am. Your actions reflect the company, even if they're temporary."

Harry sighed, slipping his arm into the sling. "Got it."

"Good," Norman said. "I hope you think this through with  _all_  of your actions."

Harry nodded, biting his lip from arguing. He _wished_ he called for another sick day. He kept his mouth shut and looked out the window for the entire drive to the restaurant.

The Osborns enjoyed lunch with the same investors that Norman had invited over for dinner two weeks before. While Harry prepared his journal for notes, Norman held a nice discussion with Mr. Walters and Mr. Rosales. The topic originally started with the basic ‘nice weather we’re having’ small talks before it trailed into current events, which ultimately lead to New York’s local vigilantes.

“I told you that Spider-Man was a menace,” Mr. Rosales said, lazily gesturing to Norman with his edamame. “Did you hear what happened at the Hudson?”

Before Norman could even open his mouth, Harry answered.

“It was practically an attack on the GWB,” He said, keeping his attention to the notes. He glanced up once he realized that all three men were curiously staring at him, interested in what he had to say. Norman in particular. The last dinner they had together, Harry kept to himself, answering when needed, and hardly ever leading the discussion. And here he was, taking a stance against a vigilante that he had been rumored to have a relationship with. No. Not rumored, _Norman had proof._ “I mean, what else was Spider-Man doing with those IEDs? We were lucky that they went off in the Hudson rather than along the bridge or the suspension cords. The damage could have been detrimental.”

“Absolutely,” Mr. Rosales said. “Don’t trust that man one bit.”

“Agreed,” Harry said, setting his pen down in the crease of his journal and closed the book. “I’m not sure if I trust any of the so-called ‘masked heroes’ anymore. How can we trust anyone who puts so little trust in our police force and judicial system?” Harry looked toward his dad for approval.

"I like the way you think," Mr. Rosales grinned. Norman nodded softly. Harry pulled into a soft smile.

"I'd almost want to disagree," Mr. Walters spoke up. "I think some of these heroes have their hearts in the right places."

"I think some of them might be heartless," Harry said, his words dripped harshly. "Like Spider-Man for example," He said, glancing toward his dad. "All major news reports claimed he was at the GWB alone. No security cameras caught a single villain in sight. I thought he was someone who cared ... about New York City. But I guess that's not the case." His tone grew soft near the end. He glanced at his dad, who nodded as if he was agreeing but his lips pressed together as he was putting the pieces together. "However," Harry said, clearing his throat. "The situation really brings the Registration Act back into political discussion."

"If your son wasn't involved in your business, he could do well in politics," Mr. Walters laughed, slightly elbowing Norman.

"Those are practically the same field nowadays," Mr. Rosales said as-matter-of-fact.

"Yeah," Norman said, adding a trademarked smile. Harry glanced up, spotting a waiter bringing their sushi rolls. _Thank God._ He glanced at the phone in his lap sending a quick text.

_H: I think he’s falling for it._

_H: btw, I owe you an apology_

_P: I told you your acting was great_

Harry locked his phone, leaving it on his lap. He looked up at his dad, who was studying him. Harry gave a tight smile as he picked up his chopsticks and reached over for a spicy tuna roll. He needed to convey to his dad that he was hurting any time that Spider-Man's name was brought up. He needed to separate himself from Spider-Man in order to keep Peter's identity safe. Even if that meant that he needed to trash Spider-Man as much as he could. He planned to keep his act up all week. He just ... needed his dad to believe this. 

\-----

"Are you sure your dad's going to be okay with this?" Peter asked as Harry lead him into one of the extra labs. Norman was out for the weekend and Harry told Peter that they could use the lab for his projects. Peter felt a little uneasy working on Spider-Man gear under Oscorp's roof. Especially if the boys strongly believe that the Goblin is working for Oscorp. Harry promised that they would have privacy. He said that they had let the security know that they were going to be there, so they wouldn't come and check up on them when the lab's motion sensors went off.

"Yeah, he said it's fine," Harry said, setting his bag down on an empty table. He opened it up and pulled out his laptop, setting it next to one of the lab PCs. He opened up his laptop, quickly finding the Oscorp login page. "I did lie a little and said that you were joining the robotics club and wanted to test some of your projects here. He honestly sounded stoked that you were in a club."

"I can't imagine your dad being 'stoked'," Peter laughed as he set his bag down next to Harry. He pulled out his notebook and opened it to one of the first designs. He reached into his bag for his webshooters before Harry grabbed his arm.

"No wait," He said, moving his hand from Peter's. He returned his attention back to the screen, starting to type his log in ... before backspacing and typing in his dad's. "There's cameras." 

Peter tensed. He didn't even consider the cameras. God. That made him more concerned about being in Oscorp. He glanced to Harry's screen, watching him navigate through the page, eventually finding the security feeds. "You're not ... just going to turn the camera off, right?" That would be more noticeable than Peter walking around in his Spider-Man suit.

"No, of course not," Harry said. He looked over at Peter and smirked. "We're just going to loop it."

After watching Harry maneuver his way through the camera feeds, finding the specific cameras he needed and started to record the cameras, Peter felt a little concerned about what Oscorp has been hiding before the Green Goblin. Harry had set a timer for seventeen minutes, allowing the cameras to have enough time to create a believable loop. Which meant they had to find something believable to do if the security guard glanced in at the feed. Which also meant that they couldn't eat their supper until after the loop was finished. Peter groaned as the hamburgers smelled good. But they managed.

Harry stayed at the computers, using his father's log in to find any proof that Oscorp was still working on Project Green. Peter kept writing in his notebook, perfecting the sketch and double checking his work. He wanted to double check everything, making sure his equations were correct and that measurements were perfect, before they actually started to work. 

Halfway through the time, Harry got up from his chair to walk across the room to the printers. He dragged his fingertips gently across Peter's back as he passed him. Peter glanced up and smirked. God. He couldn't wait for the timer to finish. He glanced back down at his work, flipping a couple pages of one of his books before he realized that Harry was back beside him, his right hand against his back and his left hand barely holding on to the papers he printed. Peter took the pages from his hand unprompted, as it looked almost uncomfortable to hold with the cast.

"It looks like they closed Project Green," Harry said, pointing to the first page. "But the following project came up when prompted with Globulin. It doesn't have any indication that it's related to another project and it's nearly impossible to figure out what it's about by first glance since --" 

"It's in German," Peter nodded, recognizing the sentence structure. "Don't you speak German?"

"I'm rusty," Harry said. "I could figure out something eventually, but I'd probably need Google Translate to help out."

Peter opened his mouth, ready to reply with something witty about practicing his foreign tongue on him, when Harry's alarm went off on his phone.

"Slip those under one of your books," Harry said. "We have a minute until it finishes the loop."

"God, I can't remember what I was doing seventeen minutes ago," Peter joked, carefully slipping the papers under a book and turned his attention back to his notebook. He glanced at Harry as he worked on the computer. Peter smiled, as he watched Harry longingly. The faint glow of the computer screen lit up his face as he quickly typed in commands, controlling the security feeds. Harry attentive at the computer, biting his lip in his focus. Peter hated to admit it, but he's had several fantasies about --

"Hey you fucking nerd, I can see you," Harry grinned, his attention still on the computer. Peter felt his cheeks burn up as he turned back to his notebook, remembering that Harry was watching the feeds.

"You're the nerd," He mumbled. As soon as the alarm went off as second time, Harry quickly worked to set the loop back up, trying to keep it seamless. Once it was set, he checked by moving his arms, watching himself on the screen stay occupied at the computer.

He grinned, turning to Peter. "So. Supper."

With music quietly running in the background, the boys sat around Peter's blueprints, discussing what could work and what couldn't while they ate. Peter wanted to start on the GPS tracker, wanting it to be one of the first new Spider-Man technologies ready to be tested in the field. Harry wanted to try to work drone technology into the GPS tracker, so Peter could actually get the trackers back if needed, but Peter wanted to get the GPS technology working first. While Peter worked on the GPS tracker, Harry was going to work on the skeleton for the cobweb that Peter's design wanted. Harry teased him that it kind of sounded like a pokeball the way he described it, but they could make it possible.

After a while of tinkering and bantering, Peter finally sighed in relief. He turned to Harry's computer, checking that the signal was activated. He wouldn't be able to properly track it unless they did a field test. He turned to Harry, who still was busy on the framework. (Harry complained at least nine times that he would've been finished by now if it wasn't for his broken arm). Peter slipped on a web shooter, carefully toying with the nozzle. 

"Hey, Harry?"

"Yeah?" Harry turned around, setting his good hand on the table. Peter quickly webbed his hand to the table, tracker concealed in the web. He glanced to the computer making sure that the signal was still received. He turned his attention back to his slightly-annoyed boyfriend.

"I got you stuck in my web," Peter smirked. Harry rolled his eyes.

Peter walked over to Harry, carefully placing his fingertips on his hips, gently moving them under the edge of his shirt on to his skin, keeping his touch light. He leaned in, pressing a soft kiss on the edge Harry's mouth. He trailed kisses to Harry's jaw then down his neck. Harry closed his eyes, extending his neck for more room for kisses. He carefully brought his left hand up, attempting to tangle his fingers in Peter's hair. Harry wanted so much more. He wanted to feel Peter against him. He wanted to wrap his arm around Peter's waist, pulling him in closer ... but he couldn't pull his hand from the table. He tugged at his arm, well stuck in the webs. 

"Peter," He whined, gently tugging at his arm. He knew it wouldn't be of any use. Villains twice his strength couldn't tear the webs.

"Yeah babe?" Peter said, his words muffled against Harry's skin. Harry continued to try to run his hand through Peter's hair, only able to grasp and let go of the ends.

"Can you free me?" 

"I thought you'd be into this," Peter said, teasing. He nipped at Harry's skin, pulling a soft moan from Harry's lips.

"Yeah, but --"

"Yeah?" Peter grinned.

"But I imagined naked and in a bed and not --" He tried to grab at Peter's hair again. "Broken."

"Fair," Peter said, carefully pulling away, knowing that Harry had his cast behind him. He turned back to the computer, checking the tracker's status. He wondered if he could try shooting the tracker without using as much web fluid. He knew he didn't need as much as he used, mainly just wanting to annoy Harry. Peter kept his attention on the computer, pretending to ignore Harry as he stood impatiently against the table.

"Peter."

"Yes, love of my life?" Peter said, smirking as he looked over his shoulder. Harry crossed his broken arm over his chest conveying his annoyance.

"Will you free me?" Harry asked, tugging at his arm again. "I'd like to, you know, be not be standing?"

"It will dissolve," Peter said, turning back to the computer, pretending to mess with the design. "Eventually."

"Peter," Harry whined.

Peter grinned. He walked back over to Harry, drifting his hand toward Harry's. He let his fingertips graze Harry's bare forearm, travelling down the watch on his wrist. He stopped short of the webs, letting his fingers linger over his skin. Harry closed his eyes, attempting to lean his arm into Peter's touch. Peter moved his fingertips with Harry's arm, keeping the touch feather light. Harry sighed. Peter took that as his cue. He quickly moved his hands to Harry's waist, swiftly lifting him up and setting him on the table.

Harry gasped, biting his lip to keep whatever the noise forming in his throat inaudible. 

"What was that?" Peter smirked.

"I said fuck you," Harry quickly leaned in, crashing his lips against Peter's. He rested his hand against Peter's cheek, attempting to touch him as well as his cast would allow him. He tried to pull his hand from the webs again, knowing it was a waste of energy. Harry wrapped his legs around Peter, knowing that this was the best he could get for now. "You fucking tease," Harry mumbled into the kiss. 

Peter smirked, allowing himself to be pulled in closer to Harry. He pushed Harry's shirt up slightly, resting his hands against Harry's skin.

At first, the kiss was gentle and sweet. Peter took in the soft touches of Harry's fingertips against his cheek. The way his heels slightly dug into the back of his thighs, keeping him close. Really close. He leaned in more, deepening their kiss. Harry moved his his hand from Peter's cheek to the nape of his neck, still attempting to tangle his fingers. Peter slid one hand down Harry's waist, gripping Harry's thigh. Harry smirked as he felt Peter squeeze gently. He pulled away from the kiss, keeping the smirk on his face.

"You know what I want?" He asked, biting his lip seductively.

"Me back on your lips?" Peter suggested leaning forward. Harry moved his hand, pressing a single finger against Peter's lips.

"What else?"

"Me inside of you?" Peter grinned, his lips still pressed against Harry's finger. He thought for a second before splitting his lips and slipping Harry's finger into his mouth, sucking gently. Harry lost his train of thought, not expecting this at all. He tried to regain his words. Nope. All thoughts out the window. He closed his eyes, focusing on Peter's --

"Wait, don't do that," Harry laughed, finally pulling his thoughts together and his finger out of Peter's mouth. His finger probably tasted like metal, as he's been working on the cobweb's mechanics for most of the evening. "My arm free."

"It will dissolve --" 

"Free my arm and my shirt comes off."

"Deal," Peter said, reaching for a loose screwdriver. He came back, carefully pulled Harry out of the webbing. Once it was loose, he helped push the excess webs off and to the floor. "Now --"

Harry leaned back, using his now free hand to pull his shirt off. Peter leaned back, admiring Harry's exposed muscles. He moved his hands to Harry's sides, his touch feather-light as he brought his fingers up his ribs. The once deep purple bruises across his side was now a healing yellow. Peter was still cautious, bringing his hand back down to his waist. 

"God, have I ever told you how much I love you?" Peter asked, leaning back for their kiss before Harry could answer. It felt like forever since they were this intimate, this relaxed. It's taken a few weeks for them to get back on track in their relationship. Peter didn't care how long it took for them to get back to being _them._ He wanted their relationship to work out. Peter would be willing to do anything. Peter gasped as Harry jerked him in closer, using his legs as leverage to feel more friction between them. 

Harry grinned, using his free hand to grasp Peter's jaw, running his hand against his skin. He nipped at Peter's bottom lip. "Isn't this better?"

"Define _better,"_   Peter teased, pressing their lips together before moving his lips to Harry's jaw and down his neck. Harry moved his hand to tangle his fingers in Peter's hair. "Tell me about your progress."

Harry blinked as his mind went blank. "My ... progress?" 

"On the cobweb," Peter nodded, pressing another kiss against Harry's neck.

"You want to talk shop as foreplay?"

Peter hummed against Harry's skin.

"Okay," Harry laughed. "So -- uh -- I took an old skeleton of a Goblin orb and deconstructed it, taking out all the electrical parts. It took a bit to get the --" He closed his eyes as Peter started to suck on his neck. He could feel Peter grin against his skin. "-- The framework to be responsive to touch. It's going to have a slight delay that you can activate --" He felt Peter's hand move down from from his rib cage to his pants, playing dangerously close to his zipper. He felt Peter's hand hesitate, almost waiting for permission. Harry pressed his lips together. "Please. Yes."

"You have to beg it to activate it?" Peter smirked as he undid Harry's pants, pulling them down.

"I'm not begging," Harry protested. "It's activated with a --" Peter slipped his hand down Harry's briefs. "--A click. You hold the button down for three seconds, it has a ten second delay."

"Three for ten, sounds good," Peter said, placing kisses in the crook of Harry's neck. Harry jerked his hips toward Peter, mesmerized by his touch.

"I want to --" Harry moved his hand from Peter's hair to grip his shoulder, his breath hitched in his throat. "--Get a infrared sensor worked out. I think that would be more useful than time delay. Speaking of delays, can we ... ?"

"Yeah," Peter breathed, moving his hands back to Harry's waist, guiding him flat on the table top. He climbed on top of Harry leaning down for a soft peck before returning for a much, longer kiss. Harry tightened his grip on Peter's shoulder before letting go of his shirt.

"Your --"

Peter sat up, quickly tossed his shirt off. Harry quickly moved his hand to Peter's chest, running it down his muscles. His side completely healed from his incident with Doc Ock on Sunday. Harry could hardly tell that Peter was even in a fight. He moved his hand back to Peter's back. Peter grinned as he crashed his lips back down. Peter rolled his hips against Harry's. Harry gripped Peter's shoulder tightly with each grind of Peter's hips. He gasped at the harder grinds, leaving him aching for more.

Peter could feel Harry's heartbeat on his lips. Beating fast and with excitement. He wanted to take this further, knowing that their stuff was in one of their bags. But he didn't want to get up. He shifted his weight, slipping his hand back down Harry's briefs and wrapped his hand around his cock. He gently stroked it, setting a pace.

Harry moaned, moving his hand to tangle in Peter's hair. 

He wasn't sure how long he'd last --

The ringing of Harry's phone caught both their attention. 

 _A Norman specific ringtone._  

Peter looked down at Harry, almost terrified. He reached over Harry to pick up his phone from his work station and handed it to him. Harry hesitated before clearing his throat and answering.

"Hello?" God, Harry hoped he didn't sound as out of breath as he felt.

"Is everything okay?" Norman's voice was rushed and harsh.

"What?" 

"Are you okay?" He repeated his tone.

"Yeah," Harry ruffled his brow. Peter leaned back down, pressing his lips against Harry's neck. "Peter and I are -- we're in the lab. We're fine?" 

He could feel Norman's hesitation. "What are you guys doing in the lab?"

"Peter's robotics," Harry said, bringing his casted hand to play with Peter's hair. He tried to calm his breathing before speaking again. "They have tryouts tomorrow. We wanted to get everything running smoothly before --"

"Then why did I get a notification about a spike in your heart rate?" Norman interrupted.

"What?"

It was silent on Norman's line. Peter took the silence as a good time to nip at Harry's skin.

"Fuck, don't do that," He whispered, closing his eyes as Peter pressed a soft kiss in its place.

Suddenly, Norman's voice returned, filled with anger. "Did you loop the feeds?"

"No, why would -- why would I do that?"

"You're clearly not talking on the phone," Norman said. 

"Are you spying on us?" Harry asked accusingly.

"What?" Peter said, sitting up. Harry put his casted hand on Peter's hip gently, hoping to calm him. The security camera was on a loop, they were fine until Harry disabled it. Except it didn't hit Harry that the faint clacking of Norman's keyboard was a warning in disguise.

"I am now --" Norman stopped, suddenly understanding the spike in Harry's heart rate. The silence was awkward for all three of them and went on way longer than it should have. Harry knew he was just one red button to ending this call. "Put me on speaker."

Harry hesitated, fully expecting a lecture about using the labs for recreational use. He looked at Peter apologetically as he pulled the phone from his ear and pressed the speaker. "Okay," he said.

There was another long pause, as if Norman was deciding who to lecture first. He took a deep sigh before he started. "Condoms --"

"Oh God." The boy said in unison. Peter laid back down on Harry, burying his face into his chest. Half to conceal Harry's almost-nakedness, half to hide from his embarrassment. Harry made a mental note to take off his watch.

"If either of you had any alcohol, there is no consent and this shouldn't be happening."

"Dad --"

"Peter, his rib's --"

"Dad --"

"-- Still fractured, so no rough --"

"DAD."


	17. 'Sounds manipulative.'

"Dad, can Peter and I borrow the lab tomorrow evening?"

Norman glanced up from the computer. They had moved Harry's bloodwork to Thursday since Norman had an investor's meeting in London over the weekend. "What for?"

"Peter's joining the robotics club," Harry said, leaning against the table. He pressed the cotton against his arm, hoping to get the bleeding to stop with pressure without using a bandaid. "I thought it would be easier to work in a lab then in a dorm room or in the Parker living room."

"Ah," Norman said, pulling his full attention away from the computer to Harry. "I'm glad to hear. I'm sure they'll welcome a bright and eager student like Peter." 

Harry awkwardly shifted his weight. "So, does that mean we can borrow the lab?"

Norman turned back to the computer, switching programs to a data spreadsheet. He scrolled down, searching for an available lab. "Would 65 work?"

Harry glanced up at the ceiling as he tried to remember Lab 65. Knowing that it didn't have a specific label, it was one of the larger labs that took up most of the floor, but he couldn't think of any ongoing projects there. "Yeah, that will work," he said, looking back at his dad nodding. "We won't need it until after 6, so we won't be in anybody's way."

"I'll let security know," Norman said, as he marked the lab as unavailable for the evening. "Clean up any messes you make. If you bring food, keep it to the far tables. Check out with security when you leave the lab."

"Yeah, will do," Harry said, as he checked under the cotton on his arm. The injection point had stopped bleeding. He threw the cotton away, gently rubbing his arm. "Everything look good?"

"Yeah," Norman said, switching back to the bloodwork. "Except we're picking up a high content of acetylsalicylic acid. How much aspirin are you taking?"

"I took three before I came in," Harry said, hoping his dad wouldn't catch catch him in his lie. He was lucky that the computer classified the drug wrong, saving him from a lecture about oxycodone. He only took one, but he knew that one was enough to warrant a lecture. "I bumped my arm on a bookshelf and it stung all through lunch." At least that part was true.

"Don't take that much," Norman scorned. "And watch your surroundings. If you can't think within your perimeter, you might as well wear the sling to keep your arm close to your body."

"Yeah," Harry nodded. "I'll be more careful."

"Good," Norman said, turning his attention back to the screen. "I have a couple of errands for you to do Saturday. Consider it payment for borrowing the lab."

"Like?" Harry asked, leaning against the table. Norman continued to work.

"Running files down to lawyers, local investors. Simple tasks," Norman said. "You can see your good friend, Sean, and talk to him about the latest Spider-Man editorial in the Bugle."

Harry leaned off the table awkwardly. "I'm sure Mr. Rosales would be interested," he chuckled. "But I believe I should be keeping the visit strictly professional."

Norman looked up and grinned. "That's my boy." He looked to the wall clock. "You can head out if you're done for the day. I'll get everything printed out and sorted. I'll leave it on the kitchen counter with instructions. There will be financials so --"

"We won't get into them," Harry said, gathering his stuff. "Promise."

"Is Peter staying the night?" Norman raised an eyebrow. "Do we need to have the talk again?"

"No no no," Harry said, glancing up at several of the researchers who were still in the room with them. "I think we're good on talks. For life."

"Be smart," Norman said ... or warned. Harry wasn't sure. 

"Will do," Harry said, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "Have a safe trip, dad."

"Will do," Norman said in return. He kept his attention on the computer until Harry left the floor. He glanced up to one of the researchers. "Alexander, are we certain about the transdermal technology's location?"

"Very certain," Alexander replied with confidence. "Do you really think that he'd go through with it?"

"Alexander, I know my son," Norman said. "And when given the opportunity, he will not disappoint me."

\-----

Peter woke up to soft breathing in his ear. Going from the twin sized mattress at the dorms to Harry's queen sized bed was so nice, allowing them to have more elbow room, but they both knew that find themselves both in the middle spot as their bodies pulled back together like magnets. And here they were in the middle of the bed, Peter flat on his back with Harry curled up next to him, cast resting on his chest. He turned his head to look at Harry, peacefully asleep. Peter smiled softly. He reached carefully over, gently running his thumb over his cheekbone. Harry's eyelashes fluttered as he slowly woke up.

"Good morning, beautiful," Peter whispered, pressing a soft kiss against Harry's forehead. Harry grinned sleepily.

"G'morning," he mumbled back. He gave a yawn, trying to force the sleep out of him. "How'd you sleep?" 

"Pretty good," Peter said as he admired Harry's long lashes as they kissed his cheek with each slow blink as he tried to wake up. "I always sleep better next to you."

Harry snorted. "God, you're cute."

"How did you sleep?"

"Before or after someone started to snore?" He grinned. Peter playfully slapped Harry's shoulder. "I slept great." He sighed happily. "Like you said, I sleep better when I sleep next to you."

"God, that is sickening," Peter laughed. He leaned in, stealing a soft, lazy kiss. He leaned his head back against the pillow, as he watched Harry wake up. He ran his thumb over his cheekbone, feeling Harry's soft skin. "Thanks for letting me sneak out last night."

"What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't loan you out to New York every once in a while?" Harry laughed.

It was a while after they had left the lab before Peter took on his superhero duties. They had moved upstairs, picked up from where they left off and relaxed while watching a movie ... well, part of one. Halfway through, Peter finally admitted his guilt of not patrolling the city. He felt selfish because he had a responsibility to do. Harry understood, but it didn't hurt any less. It was _their_   night alone. He just wanted to spend time with his boyfriend, but he knew that this was _their_   life. If he had to share Peter, he was glad it was with the city. Peter slipped into his suit and gave Harry a goodbye kiss before crawling up the wall. Harry knew he could do that, but it felt so surreal to watch his boyfriend leave through the skylight.

Harry propped himself up on his good elbow, getting a better look at Peter. "Hey, what's your housing plan for next year?" 

"Uh, I really haven't thought that far," Peter said. They were only a month into their first year and Peter had a bad habit of thinking in the now. "Aunt May suggested applying to be an RA but ... I don't think they would appreciate me disappearing in the nights."

"Yeah, usually they want you to, you know, be on campus for that," Harry grinned. "Or even just in your room."

"I've slept in my room plenty of times," Peter laughed. He wasn't sure if it was _more_ than sleeping in Harry's room. It was _maybe_ split evenly. "Why do you ask?"

"I was thinking we should ... get an apartment together?" He bit his lip hesitantly, like his suggestion may have been a bad one. He quickly tried to cover his tracks. "I mean, we don't have to discuss it now. That's still a while away. Almost like forever, but still in the distant future but that's not relevant right --"

"I'd love to," Peter interrupted. "But I can't afford to help cover the cost."

"I can get it all," Harry said. "It wouldn't be a problem at all. Dad and I were already discussing an apartment for next year. I figured I'd ask if you'd want to move in with me, since I'd assume you'd sleep over a lot anyway."

"I don't like the idea of mooching off of you," Peter said. He continued, a little sheepishly, "But ... I kind of like the idea of your dad paying for our apartment."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "You like the idea of my dad being your sugar daddy?"

"Please don't put it that way."

"That's not a 'no,' " Harry smirked as he slowly moved his broken arm, tracing lines from freckle to freckle as if he creating a constellation on Peter's chest. "Are you doing supper with May tonight?"

"Yeah," Peter said. "She had an evening shift last night, so I'm supposed to bring brunch on my way home and she's cooking supper tonight. You're welcome to join us, you know."

"I have a couple of errands to do for dad," Harry said. "Kind of payment for borrowing the lab. One of them involves an investor. I'm not sure if it's a 'drop file off for him' or 'have lunch with him' type of errand."

"Hm," Peter ran his hand through Harry's bedhead. "Then we better get you cleaned up. And uh ..." He moved his hand from Harry's hair to his neck, gently touching a small hickey. _"That_ covered up." Harry rolled his eyes as he slipped out of bed. He reached, to help pull Peter out and toward the shower.

\-----

Peter had left Oscorp through Harry's skylight.Peter told Harry it would be quicker if he left as Spider-Man. Sometimes, swinging was quicker than the subways. It was honestly his preferred method of travelling. He left with a quick kiss and a promise to see him tonight. Harry wasn't sure if that meant before or after his patrol, but he was happy either way. 

Harry went into the kitchen, started slow-drip coffee as he glanced over his to do list.  
  
      **Drop off**

  * future model designs to Waltmann and Co.
  * financial estimates to S. Rosales office
  * legalities to Landman and Zack Law



      **Retrieve**

  * today's mail, check for Morgan Stanley
  * 3D printed cast model from Dr's office (inquire about use at 4 weeks)
  * transdermal technology, Baxter Building, main lab (gear in Lab 55)



Harry's breath hitched with the last task. He knew exactly what the transdermal technology was for. It was the only technology that they have had that could read Harry's serum levels through the skin.Something that would make his life a lot easier and have less needles. Norman told Harry that they closed Project Green, but the latest sightings of the Green Goblin told Peter and Harry that it wasn't the case. Harry couldn't find any open files on Project Green, but he knew his dad. They had hidden projects in the past, so it wouldn't surprise Harry if the project they found yesterday was the new project green. But if they had the Goblin, then why would they want to use Harry to retrieve the technology?

Harry slipped all of the files into his leather messenger bag, grabbed his coffee, and went to the lab to seethe gear Norman was alluding to. It wasn't until the lab doors opened that Harry realized what his dad wanted him to do.

He wanted him to suit up as the Goblin.

He wanted him to break into the Baxter Building. He wanted Harry to steal the technology. Harry's heart rate started to rise. He fiddled with his watch, just in case his dad called to see if something was wrong. He approached the suit, suspended in the glass closet. The left arm was thicker than the right, to accommodate Harry's cast, disguised as intricate technology to keep wandering thoughts from connecting the dots.

Norman took Harry's sudden disapproval of Spider-Man as signs of wanting to rejoin Project Green. 

Harry ran his free hand through his hair, attempting to calm down before he pulled himself into a panic attack. 

He didn't want to suit up. He didn't even want to look at the suit any longer.

But if Harry didn't, Norman would know something was up. And if Norman knew something was up, he might discover Peter's secret identity.

_Unless._

Unless Harry found a different way to obtain the technology.

Harry bit his lip.

Maybe he should call Peter.

He pulled his phone out, ready to press on Peter's name ... before locking it back up and sliding it into his pocket.

Harry needed to think first. 

He reached into his other pocket and pulled out a white pill. He slipped the pill into his mouth, taking it with his coffee like second-nature.

He sighed, hoped he was doing the right thing.

\-----

Johnny sprawled on the couch and sighed happily. College has been killing him recently and it almost seemed like home was his only escape. Even if he was stuck home babysitting on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. Maybe he can convince the kids to go to the park with him. But for now, he and Ben were content watching Franklin and Valeria play chess on the floor. 

It wasn't that Johnny hated college, it was just that he hated it. He wanted to be a mechanical engineer. He wanted to build and work on repairs, but he felt like he could learn that hands on, too. He felt like he would enjoy college better if he didn't have to take general education courses. Maybe if he went to a technical college like he wanted, he would've loved college. But Columbia had offered a pretty hefty scholarship to Johnny, thanks to his almost-celebrity status, and Reed encouraged him to take it. He almost didn't, but Sue mentioned that he didn't have to continue if he didn't like it.

His phone vibratedagainst the side table, pulling his attention from the compelling game of chess. He reached over and picked it up.

"Hey Harry, what's up?" He said, turning to lie on his back as he pressed the phone to his ear.

The line was eerily quiet, Johnny almost said Harry's name again before he heard a soft sniffle. "Hey can -- can we talk?"

"Yeah," Johnny said, sitting up and turning his attention fully to the phone conversation. "What's going on?"

"We --" His voice cracked. He hesitated to continue. "Peter and I broke up."

"What?"

"We ... He ... We," Harry stumbled unsure which to say. He sniffled again, trying to calm his breathing. "Broke up."

"I'm sorry," Johnny said, almost unsure what to do. He knew Harry, they joked around in the two classes that they had together, but he didn't think he knew him well enough to be his shoulder to cry on. But then again, did Harry have anyone else to have a shoulder to cry on? "Do you you want to talk in person? I can meet you at the dorms or --"

"I'm ... I'm actually outside," Harry said quietly. He laughed, but Johnny could hear the pain in his tone. "I'm sorry. This was a bad idea. You're more Peter's friend. I'm sorry."

"No, no, you're fine," Johnny said, as he hurdled over the couch. Franklin and Valeria ignored him completely. Ben looked at him from the kitchen. Johnny mouthed something incoherent at Ben, pointing to the kids as he rushed to the elevator. "I'll be down in a bit. You can come inside."

Harry hesitated before speaking up softly. "Thank you."

Harry was waiting when Johnny arrived in the lobby. He looked more beat up than he did after the incident with Dr. Octopus. Harry wiped his eyes free of tears as Johnny approached him.

"Hey," Harry said, his voice still unsteady. 

"Hey," Johnny said. He reached out and ran his hand up and down Harry's arm, hoping to calm him. "Do you want to talk about it or a distraction?"

"A bit of both," Harry said, nodding. Johnny gestured for him to follow him back to the elevator. Johnny pressed the top button, to take them to the top floor.

"Ben and I are babysitting," Johnny said as the doors closed. "So I hope you're good at chess."

Harry bit his lip as he watched the numbers rise. "Can we go somewhere more private?" He waited a beat before speaking up again, his voice quiet. "My dad's labs always felt comforting."

Johnny hesitated before pressing the button for the lab. "Yeah," He said nodding. Reed might get mad ... but he doesn't have to know. "Yeah we can do that."

Harry fought back a smile. He bit his lip and nodded. "Thanks."

As soon as they got there, Harry paced down the long room along a table, attempting to remember where he had last found the prize piece of technology. He stopped midway and turned back to Johnny with a deep sigh. "I ... I don't know what I did to him."

"What happened?" Johnny asked, studying Harry.

"We -- we had a fight last night," Harry said, avoiding eye contact as if he was trying to fight back tears. "Maybe I was being petty. I don't know."

"Maybe you just need to cool off," Johnny suggested. "You guys just started college and that comes with new stresses on top of the superheroing and Oscorp stuff. Assuming your dad's got you roped in to the family business?"

"Yeah -- Wait, you know about ... ?" Harry said surprised, hoping to throw him off. He moved to the opposite table, facing Johnny straight on. "He didn't tell me you knew."

"I figured it out," Johnny said, turning his body to Harry. Harry looked away, but then quickly looked back as he spotted the transdermal technology directly behind Johnny. "He's not that good at keeping secrets."

"It took me almost a year to find out," Harry mumbled truthfully. He thought about how he was going to try to steal the technology from under Johnny's nose.

He glanced back up to Johnny and bit his lip. Harry felt his gut twist, knowing that this was the only way to get it without suiting up. He took two quick steps forward and pressed his lips against Johnny's.

Johnny was warm. Warmer than Peter. Warmer than anyone he's ever kissed before. Like the first sip of freshly brewed coffee, almost too hot for your lips but leaves you wanting more. Like basking in the heat of sunrays after leaving a cool building. Almost warm enough to indulge in the kiss. Harry set his casted hand against Johnny's hip as he slowly snaked the other behind him, taking the small tech in his hand and slipping it in his pocket.

And for that moment, Johnny forgot about everything that was going on. He forgot about what he and Harry were doing in the lab. Hell, he forgot they were even in the lab. He reached up and gently cupped Harry's jaw, wanting to do this since he first saw him in class. Since he first asked him to be his biology tutor when Peter turned him down.

Peter.

Johnny pulled away, moving his hand to Harry's chest, hesitating before pushing him away. "I ... We can't be doing this."

"I -- I'm sorry," Harry said, instantly pulling away. He truly was. He didn't mean to drag Johnny into this. That wasn't his plan at all. "I'm so sorry I shouldn't have. I --" He tried to think of a reason for why he would have done this. Oh god. "I was drinking. I was -- I was drunk. I _am_. Drunk. I'm --" spilling word vomit. "-- sorry."

Johnny was quiet. He studied Harry as he panicked. He pressed his lips together as he thought quietly **.** "I"m pretty, not stupid."

"... What?" Harry asked dumbstruck.

"I'm not stupid," He repeated, pushing himself to sit on the lab table. "So what's Oscorp need with the tech?"

"What?" Harry spat out.

"I'm not stupid," Johnny repeated again, his arms crossed. "Was this your plan the entire time? Fake a breakup and makeout with me long enough until you got the tech in your pocket?"

"No," Harry said. "Well, not all of it. I didn't -- I didn't plan on kissing you."

"That's what they all say," Johnny rolled his eyes. "Are you planning to take it apart and capitalize off of it or something? Next big Oscorp product. Hitting the shelves for small price of only three million dollars."

"It's ... for my health," Harry said, pulling the tech from his pocket. "I have a muscle disorder. I'm on experimental medicine and this helps check my vitals so I don't have to do blood work twice a week." He looked at the tech and sighed softly before extending it to Johnny. Johnny's eyes fell on the watch around his wrist, similar to the one that Reed had designed for him last year.

"I don't want it."

"What?"

"Keep it," Johnny said, as he scooted himself onto the lab table. "I'm mad at Reed anyway."

"For ... babysitting?" Harry said as he brought the tech back to himself. 

"No, I actually really love babysitting," Johnny said. "He was being a dick to Sue before they left for their meetings. I know that they'd probably made up on the way there, but I'm still mad at him. This won't set him back much. He still has the blueprints." He uncrossed his arms, changing his tone as he pointed a scorning finger at Harry. "Don't _you dare_ think about taking those."

"I won't," Harry said, as he pushed himself onto the opposite table. He fiddled with his watch. "Scout's honor."

Johnny watched as Harry struggled for a moment before finally slipping the watch off. Johnny wasn't going to help him after that kiss. "If I find out you use this for villainous purposes, I'm going to hunt you down."

"Don't I need to be a villain first before I can have villainous purposes?" Harry asked he flipped the watch around, attempting to take the back off. He looked around for a tool of any sort. Johnny sighed as he reached in one of the drawers and tossed the screwdriver at Harry. Harry caught it against his chest. 

"Oscorp's pretty villainous to me," Johnny watched as Harry screwed the back of the watch off and put the sensor in its place. "No offense or anything."

"Offense taken," Harry said nonchalantly. "But ... I guess I understand."

Harry slipped off the lab table and walked to Johnny, his arm extended as he held the watch in place. Johnny rolled his eyes as he helped Harry fasten the watch back on his wrist. Johnny sincerely hoped that Harry was telling the truth. That he actually needed the technology to help his disorder. That he wasn't just his father's pawn in his game of chess.

As soon as the watch was on, Harry took a step back and glanced at the screen. ' _Software updating -- 0%'_   

"Thanks," He said, as he turned his attention back to Johnny. "This might be a dumb question, but are you ... mad at me?"

"Yeah, extremely," Johnny huffed. "I don't like being used. But ... I could forget this entire thing happened. The lying, the stolen tech, your tongue down my --"

"I didn't use my tongue," Harry snapped. Johnny shrugged.

"I could forget it all," Johnny said, leaning back. "On one condition."

"Sounds manipulative," Harry rolled his eyes. 

"Says the guy who pretended to go through a breakup to steal technology," Johnny said. "Have I _mentioned_  that you kissed --" 

"Okay fine," Harry sighed. "I'll bite."

Johnny leaned back forward, putting his elbows on his knees and resting his head in his hands. He smirked. "I get to kiss Peter."


	18. 'Speaking of, we need to talk.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Different sleep schedule so different upload time!

Peter quickly walked into the house, setting the brown paper bag on the kitchen counter as he quickly searched the freezer for something cold.

He pulled out a bag of spinach, quickly putting it against his cheek. He sighed at the relief.

"Peter?" Aunt May called, coming in from the laundry room. She exhaled softly, always frustrated when she sees her nephew with frozen vegetables against his face. She reached over, gently pulled it away. She sighed at the bruise forming along his cheekbone. It has always worried her when Peter comes home with new bruises or cuts with very little explanations. She eventually started to dismiss them, realizing that she would never fully get answers. But it never got easier to see her boy hurt. She let go, letting Peter defrost the spinach with his face. "You've had worse."

"It doesn't hurt. It just feels really warm," Peter said. "I hope you needed spinach tonight."

"I do, actually," May laughed. "It doesn't need to be defrosted until five, but now's fine too."

"I brought home breakfast burritos courtesy of Mr. Ibarra," Peter said, gesturing to the brown bag on the counter. "Potatoes, chorizo and cheesy eggs."

"You paid him, right?" May asked as she washed her hands. "I told Mr. Ibarra that he can't play favorites anymore."

"I did," Peter nodded. "He made me pay twice -- no, three times _because_   he couldn't play favorites anymore."

May smacked him with the towel. "Your sarcasm is going to get you in trouble one day."

Peter smiled, knowing that it was true and his sarcasm has gotten in him trouble plenty of times. He sat down at the table as May brought over plates and their brunch to the table. Peter missed staying with Aunt May. She was his family. She was  _home._ But he knew he couldn't come home everyday. He knew he couldn't keep storing Spider-Man in the attic. He set the frozen spinach aside as he partially unwrapped the burrito, using half of the aluminum to keep it warm.

"How's classes going?" May asked as she took a bite.

"Pretty good so far," Peter said through the burrito. He didn't wait to chew before he continued. "I never thought having a class at 9 in the morning would be terrible."

"It could be worse. Chew with your mouth close," May laughed. "It's a wonder that Harry takes you anywhere if you eat like this."

Peter waited until he swallowed before he spoke up. "It's because I'm cute."

"How is he doing?" May asked.

"He's doing better," Peter said as he took another bite. He waited until he was finished before he spoke up again. "He can breathe without flinching. So we think his rib's almost healed."

"Be careful," Aunt May warned vaguely, but Peter knew exactly what she was alluding to. They weren't always the best at hiding their affection and Peter tends to have a heavy touch thanks to the spider-venom. "Is he doing okay mentally? An event like this could stir up ... unpleasant emotions again."

Peter came to Aunt May last year after the New Year's Eve incident with Harry, well, after Harry told him about his nightmares about dying. He remembered Harry laying on his chest as he told him about the dreams, as he told Peter about the Rhino dropping him and how he nearly died that night. How he was afraid of dying and how he _knew_ he was going to die. He wouldn't take Peter's verbal comforts. He just needed to know that he wouldn't be a forgotten memory. Peter nodded gently, not so much as an answer. "He ... had another nightmare the other day, but I think it was a cause of his medicine."

May ruffled her brow. "Did the doctors prescribe him with strong stuff?" Peter nodded, knowing that it was a half-truth. May sighed. "I wish they would stop that."

Peter ran his hand up and down his leg, trying to stop the jitters. He couldn't help but let his mind wander to the Goblin, trying to invite him to join Project Green. To join the team that was trying to save Harry's life. He bit the inside of his cheek as he tried to form his question without outing himself as Spider-Man. "Aunt May? I ... I was asked to join Oscorp to help Harry," He started off awkwardly.

"They want you?" May asked raising her eyebrow. "You're just a kid."

"I'm eighteen --"

"You're just a kid," May repeated. "Don't they have a genetics team working on a case?"

"Yeah but --" Peter tried to avoid saying that his superhuman healing ability qualified him for the position. "-- They think I have real talent."

May studied him for a moment. "Did Norman approach you with this?"

"Y-yeah," Peter nodded. He thanked God that his nose wasn't growing with each lie he told. "He brought it up."

May huffed. She tried her best to watch her words, trying not to offend Peter by trash talking his boyfriend's father. But it was hard not to. "Is Harry involved with this?"

"He was," Peter said. "Before he ... left."

"I don't trust Norman," She said plainly. "I know you're smart, but Harry's a smart kid, too. And I'm sure you know more about the situation than I do, but if Harry had to run away to his grandmother's in Europe, that says something about the stress that his father put on him." She sighed. "Peter, I think he's a manipulative man thinking about himself and the company before others. I just don't think that would be a good environment for you."

"You don't think I wouldn't be harming Harry if I didn't help?" Peter asked. "Like, what if I was his cure -- what if I could figure out how to fix his disorder?"

May hesitated. "Does Harry know you were asked to join?"

"Yeah," Peter said. "He didn't want me to."

"Then there's your answer," May said, taking a drink of her tea. "Harry knows what goes in those labs. If he doesn't want you to be involved, you should take his word."

Peter nodded. He still felt guilty on passing the opportunity to help Harry. But Harry had his concerns. Harry didn't want to rely on Peter to be his lifeline. But Peter didn't know what he would do without Harry in his life. He didn't even want to think about it. "Thanks May."

She nodded, reaching her hand to grasp his on the table. He wasn't expressing his worries, but she could read it on her face. He wasn't the best at keeping secrets. "Is he still working at Oscorp?"

"As a research assistant," Peter said. "He said he didn't want to be involved in his health project."

"See?" May said, giving a soft squeeze to Peter's hand. "Gosh. I just wish ..." She stopped short about wishing Norman to drop dead. She knew that Harry loved his dad, she just hoped Norman showed Harry that he loved him back. "... Harry's welcome to stay here anytime. He knows that right?"

"I'll make sure he does," Peter nodded.

May sighed, no longer finding restrain. "He needs out of that toxic home. Harry tries so hard to impress Norman and it seems like Norman neglects his affection. Norman doesn't hit him, right?"

"Oh, no. Not at all. Norman's just --" Peter tried to find the right word. "-- Norman. He's just ... professional. Like, all the time."

"He needs out of that toxic home," May repeated, drinking her tea. "Until Norman can learn the difference between an employee and his son."

\-----

"Are you sure you wanna go?" Peter asked, tugging Harry's arm. "You don't look too well."

"No, I want to go," Harry nodded. He needed to calm his exposure. "It sounds like fun. Johnny promised it would be fun."

"I promised it would be fun!" Johnny called from ahead of them. "C'mon slowpokes. We're going to be late!"

"How can you be late to a party?" Peter laughed. He tightened his arm around Harry's. Harry gave a small smile.

"When you arrive and it's Sunday," Johnny said. "Come on, it's literally like ten feet off of campus and you're dragging us on." Harry and Peter picked up their steps, catching up to Johnny.

"So how did you get invited to the basketball frat's party?" Harry asked, attempting to show Peter that he was fine.

"Because I'm the Human Torch?" Johnny laughed. "Plus, one of my friends lives here. He told me about the party in the first place."

"And you invited us because?" Harry asked, his voice slightly dripping with sarcasm. He knew why Johnny invited him. It was payback. Peter playfully smacked Harry in the chest with a 'be nice' warning.

"Because you guys need to relax for once in your tight ass lives," Johnny smirked. "And don't tell me you don't live tight ass lives."

"Thanks for noticing our tight asses," Harry mumbled. Peter smacked his chest again.

"That's _exactly_   what I'm not talking about," Johnny rolled his eyes as he opened the door to the party. He let Peter and Harry walk in front of him. As soon as Harry passed him, he reached out stopping him for a moment and whispered, "But they are tight."  Johnny smirked.

Harry pulled his arm away from Johnny, clenching his jaw.

"I have a secret, dying on my lips," Johnny said. "I hope you didn't forget."

"I didn't," Harry gritted, moving away from Johnny, and exhaled deeply. He needed to calm down. He needed -- His eyes darted to the kitchen counter where some drinks were being made -- a shot. He looked back for Peter, realizing that Peter and Johnny had already disappeared into the party. "Fuck," He mumbled, running his free hand through his hair as he walked into the kitchen and took a shot of vodka. Okay, two shots. Three. But that was it.

Harry grabbed a plastic red cup and went to the large, clear Tupperware sitting on the counter and poured himself a drink. He turned around taking a sip of the strange mixture, unsure how much was alcohol and how much was fruit juice. This may have been a mistake.

"Harry!" He turned to Peter's voice, smiling as he spotted his boyfriend walking into the kitchen. "We lost you for a second. Johnny introduced me to his friend, Wyatt. He's --" He turned around, realizing they had lost Johnny and Wyatt along the way. "--Not here."

"That's fine with me," Harry mumbled as he took another sip. Peter ruffled his brow.

"Hey, what's up with you?" Peter asked, wrapping his arms around Harry's waist. "Why are you being like that?"

"Being like what?"

"Snarky toward Johnny," Peter said. "You seemed fine with him earlier this week. What's with the sudden change?"

"Nothing's wrong," Harry said, turning to set his drink on the counter. He got another cup gesturing it to Peter. Peter hesitated before taking it, pouring a little bit of the drink mixture into it. "I just -- he's not my favorite person to be around."

"Didn't you help him with biology this week?" Peter said taking a drink. He puckered his face, suddenly realizing how much alcohol was in his drink. He could handle his liquor better since the last time they went to a party, but that wasn't going to mean he was going to down this drink. He needed to limit himself before he ended up telling everyone in Kappa Delta Rho that he was Spider-Man. "Willingly, may I add?"

Harry bit his lip. "Yeah." He picked up his drink again, something to hold. Something to keep his mouth busy before he admits his secret, before he admits his wrongdoing, before he admits he kissed Johnny Storm.

Peter reached up, cupping Harry's cheek. "Is it because this was supposed to be a date night? Hare, we can go home. We don't have to be --"

"I _do want_ to be here, Pete," Harry said, leaning in to kiss Peter. "I do, I promise."

Peter opened his mouth to reply.

"Can y'all not block the jungle juice?" Someone snapped, trying to push the boys out of the way. They gave a half-hearted apology as they walked out of the kitchen, Peter's hand against Harry's lower back. They searched the entire house for Johnny, going as far back as they could and as far up as they could. They did decide to avoid the roof, just in case the door locked behind them. If they couldn't find Johnny in an hour, then they might check up there. By the time they made it back to the main floor, Harry needed a refill on his drink. Peter poured the last quarter of his out and filled his cup with water. They finally found Johnny and Wyatt in the living room surrounded by a handful of students, Johnny with a water bottle in his hand. 

"There you guys are!" Johnny cheered. "We're about to play a game."

"I'm not up for beer pong," Peter said, as he sat down on the couch. He wrapped his arms around Harry, pulling him onto his lap. "We just came from there."

"You guys went up to play beer pong?" Johnny asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No we went looking for you," Peter laughed. Harry leaned his head against Peter's. 

"Oh," Johnny said flatly before picking his tone back up. "We're going to play seven minutes in Heaven."

"We're not thirteen, Johnny," Harry laughed. He looked up at Johnny, as he gave him a trying look. He bit his bottom lip, almost seductively, sending a signal that he was holding back a secret. "But I'll bite."

"You will?" Peter laughed. "Okay. I call going first with this drunk --"

"So you volunteer?" Wyatt asked.

"I mean, yeah," Peter said. "With --"

"You can't pick, that's not how the game works," Someone called from across the living room. "You either volunteer or you get picked."

"Oh," Peter said. "Okay."

"Volunteered," Wyatt said, he gestured for Peter to go to the closet. "We'll send our pick in a moment. Light off."

Peter pressed a quick kiss against Harry's jaw as he slipped out from under him and into the closet. He waited about a minute before the door opened slightly and another body snuck in.

He hesitated a moment, not really wanting to acknowledge the person in the closet with him. "I -- I have a boyfriend," He said. "So, no --"

"Pete, it's me," Johnny said, as he emitting embers from his fingertips to light the room.

"Oh, thank God," Peter laughed. "I thought I was going to have to kiss somebody."

"I mean, you don't technically have to," Johnny said. "It's a secret what goes on behind the door. Speaking of, we need to talk."

"About?" Peter raised an eyebrow.

"Harry." Johnny said plainly. "I think the Osborns are tied to the Green Goblin that keeps popping up."

"What?" Peter spat.

"Yeah," Johnny said. "He -- Last year, there were two break ins at the Baxter Building by the Goblin. I mean, you were there for one of them. The first time, he stole some tech and the second --"

"Blood samples," Peter nodded.

"Yeah," Johnny sighed. "So, we originally thought that the Goblin was an Avenger-type, since he kept leaving Stark-logo'd items everywhere but we dropped the idea of him since his disappearance. We just figured he had what he needed and left."

"So, what makes you think he's connected to the Osborns?"

"First off, rivalry," Johnny said, counting on his ember-lit fingers. "Secondly, Oscorp. You know, Evil Wall Street corporation."

"They're not evil," Peter said with some hesitation. He knew the basic every person's facts of Oscorp. They were a big biomedical technology corporation that focuses on prosthetics. He knew that they were trying to change the world. Or at least, that was Norman's public statements. But Peter knew about the genetic testing. Peter knew about the Arachnid Archives. He knew about the Goblin. He just needed to play dumb for Harry's sake.

"What kind of Wall Street-funded medical business isn't evil?" Johnny asked. Peter opened his mouth, closing it instantly. " _Evil._ Thirdly, Harry broke into the Baxter Building this afternoon."

"What?" Now _that_ took Peter off guard.

"Well, he didn't break in," Johnny corrected. "I let him in. But he stole some technology."

"What?" Peter nearly shouted. Johnny covered his mouth, hoping to trap the sound.

"I mean, technically I let him take it," Johnny said, keeping his voice low. "But it was the same tech that the Goblin stole last year."

Peter studied Johnny, trying to figure out if he was lying but there wouldn't be a reason for him to lie. Harry has been acting weird around Johnny all night. He leaned back from Johnny's hand. "So are you suggesting that the Goblin works for Oscorp?"

"I'm suggesting that _Harry is_ the Goblin," Johnny said. "I mean, it's the only thing that makes sense in all of this."

"Harry's not the Goblin," Peter said harshly. "Don't suggest that. Harry wouldn't be involved in any projects like that. Why would Harry steal the same tech if Oscorp already had it?"

"You've met Norman, right?" Johnny asked sarcastically. "He's manipulative. I wouldn't put it past him if he's tricked Harry to think he's doing right. Harry said ... He said the technology was for him. I watched him put the technology into his watch. He said he had a muscle disorder ..." He let his sentence trail off, not wanting to really finish his train of thought.

"Are you asking me if my boyfriend is lying about being sick?"

"No. Yes. No, wait," Johnny repeated, finding somewhere for the topic to go without ending in Peter slapping him. "I'm asking if this makes sense. I mean, we need to stop the Goblin. We don't know what he's planning to do with those blood samples and how many more he's gotten since then. If Harry's the Goblin --"

"Harry's not the Goblin," Peter repeated. "Harry does have a muscle disorder and he's on medicine to fix it. I don't know anything about the watch, so I can't answer you about that. But I know he's not the Goblin. I saw the Goblin earlier this week when I was out with Harry. He can't be in the same place, right? I mean there's so many times that I've seen the Goblin while out with Harry --"

Well, there's a bold-faced lie falling out of Peter's mouth. He brain started to fail as the words kept falling out of his mouth.

"-- There's no way he could've been with me and searching for Spider-Man at the same time. I don't think the Goblin is part of Oscorp -- I mean, it could be but Harry wouldn't know anything about that. Norman's secretive --"

God, he wished he could just stop talking.

"-- I mean, not that he's keeping secret files, well he might I don't know Norman's life and all of Oscorp's projects. It's a big company and I don't work for them and I don't have access to any of their files --"

God, how could he stop talking?

"-- Even if I did, they wouldn't be the secret files about spider experiments --"

Fuck. Peter had to stop talking. He did the only thing he knew that would shut himself up. 

Peter leaned in and kissed Johnny.

A wave of heat went through his body. Almost shocking enough to pull away, but not enough to make Peter lean away from the warm comfort of Johnny's lips. He closed his eyes, reaching up to cup Johnny's jaw. His skin was hot, like holding a mug of cocoa on a cold night, fingertips scorching as they absorb the heat from Johnny's cheek. His soft lips slightly parted against Peter's, but there was something hesitant about the way he did it. He wasn't trying to deepen the kiss, but almost like there was something he wanted to say but couldn't get the words out. He felt Johnny pull away.

Peter opened his eyes, realizing the shock on Johnny's face. Johnny's lips parted again, letting the words fall out again. His voice hardly louder than a whisper.

"We can't."

Peter's eyes widened. He kissed Johnny. Peter, in a committed relationship, with plans to celebrate their one year anniversary next Saturday, _with plans_   to move in together at the end of spring semester, kissed a boy that's not his boyfriend. Peter kissed Johnny Storm. Oh, god. "Oh, god," Peter said. "Johnny, I --"

"I can't keep --" Johnny sighed, running his hands through his hair. " --fucking doing this."

He stormed out of the closet, slamming the door behind him. Leaving Peter in the darkness with his thoughts.

Soon, the door reopened.

Wyatt stood in front of Peter, his arms crossed. His composure was calm, but Peter could see Wyatt start to boil, protectively over Johnny. "What did you do?"

"I --" Peter hesitated. "I kissed him."

Wyatt relaxed. "That wasn't supposed to happen," he sighed softly.

*****

Johnny ran up to the bathroom and splashed his face with cold water, attempting to cool down, knowing that it was nearly impossible.

He sighed. He told Harry he was going to kiss Peter, but he just wanted to tease him. He wanted to pull Peter aside to talk about Harry's potential connection to the Green Goblin. After that, he would stop bringing up the kiss to Harry (probably). He splashed more water against his face. 

He kissed Harry. He kissed Peter. He liked it. He wanted to kiss Peter as much as he wanted to kiss Harry. Oh, god. He was a homewrecker. He needed to talk to Harry. He needed to apologize. He needed to fix everything. He wasn't going to bring their relationship down. It's his fault. Everything's his fault. He splashed water against his face once more, drying it on his shirt before opening the door to see Harry right there. "H-hey."

Harry rushed right past Johnny to the toilet and threw up. "Hey," he mumbled, wiping his mouth on his arm.

Johnny grabbed the towel off the rack and ran it under the faucet. He knelt down next to Harry, handing him the wet towel, running his hand up and down his back. "Are you okay?"

Harry wiped his mouth, nodding. He closed his eyes, as he took in the cool towel against his face. "Yeah," He finally spoke up. "I think -- I think I drank too much."

"No shit," Johnny said, running his hand through Harry's hair. No. He needed to stop. He pulled away from Harry. "Are you a lightweight?"

"No, not usually," Harry trailed off, flushing the toilet. He carefully stood up and made his way to the sink. He washed his hands then his face. He dried himself off on the towel, tossing it aside. "I -- I need fresh air."

"Yeah, definitely," Johnny said, stepping aside to let Harry pass him. "Wait, let me come with you. I want to talk with you."

Harry nodded as he walked through the party, Johnny at his side helping him push his way through the crowd. Finally, they made it to the front door. They stood outside on the stoop, Harry leaned against the wall, letting the cold air hit his face. Why was the drinks hitting him so hard? Why did he feel like he was overheating? He wished he would've brought his watch. He should've. But he needed to let it finish updating with the new technology.

"Harry," Johnny spoke up, leaning against the railing. Harry almost forgot Johnny was there. "Peter kissed me in the closet."

"What?" Harry asked.

"He kissed me," Johnny said. "This is my fault. None of it is his. Please, don't blame him. I shouldn't have put this situation on you guys. I'm sorry --" 

Johnny continued to apologize. But Harry stopped listening. Peter kissed Johnny. Peter kissed a gorgeous boy. A gorgeous boy with superpowers. A gorgeous boy who probably has his life together, who doesn't have to rely on medications, who's never been the bad guy, who's never beat Peter senseless. God. Johnny was perfect. Here he was, apologizing for something he didn't have control over. Harry's not mad at Johnny. He's mad at himself. He put them in this situation, not Johnny. 

He closed his eyes as his heart raced. What if Peter remembers all the stuff the Goblin did and decide he's not worth it? What if Peter realizes that Harry's nothing without him? What if Peter leaves him?

He opened his eyes, realized how dizzy he was. His throat tightened. He reached out and grabbed Johnny for stability. Johnny stopped talking, suddenly realizing that there was something wrong.

"Harry, are you okay?"

Harry wheezed. He closed his eyes. Fuck. 

"Harry."

"I ca -- can't breathe," He wheezed again. Fuck. Fuck. He threw himself into a panic attack. He didn't have anything. His watch, his inhaler, _Peter._  "I can't br -- eathe."

"Shit, fuck," Johnny said, panicking. He wrapped his arm around Harry's waist, throwing his arm around his shoulder. He opened the door to the frat house. The music pounded in Harry's ears. He leaned his head against Johnny's shoulder. 

Harry wheezed.

"Wyatt! Peter!" Johnny called.

Harry closed his eyes, focusing on his throat, focusing on breathing. He tried to take a deep breath, coughing. His senses started to fail. He couldn't feel Johnny's warmth anymore. He opened his eyes, vision blurring in and out. The music dulled in his ears.

"Wyatt!"

His vision blurred as he tried to focus in the party.

"Peter!"

He watched as he saw Peter come into focus, fighting his way through the crowd to get to them.

"Harry!"

He closed his eyes, feeling his body slump against Johnny’s before losing consciousness.


	19. 'Is this because I kissed him?'

Harry sat on a lab table, holding an oxygen mask to his face. His eyes closed as he focused on breathing. Breathing and Peter's arm wrapped around him, tucking him tightly to his side. Harry was trying to figure out which was worse **:** fainting at a frat party or recovering at the Baxter Building.

God, he hoped his dad didn't find out.

Harry has been in and out of consciousness for the past hour. He's finally found enough energy to stay awake, but not much more than that. He remembers talking to Johnny outside the fraternity. He remembers passing out, Johnny catching him. He remembers waking up in Peter's arms, long enough to tell him to not take him to the hospital. He remembers feeling the cold against his face and a warmth against his back as he was carried.

He remembers waking up with an oxygen mask on his face, his head on Peter's lap and his arm to a machine. He started to panic before Peter rubbed his chest, calming him. He almost couldn't hear Peter. His ear drums were still ringing, the sound dull. It took a minute before Peter's voice finally came through, like an angel on the verge of tears.

" -- finishing the tests. Please stay calm," Peter said, trying to keep his voice steady. He continued to rub Harry's chest, unsure if he was calming himself or Harry. "Please stay with me."

He moved his casted hand over Peter's, attempting to tangle his fingers with his, knowing that it wouldn't work. He looked up to Peter, nodding. Peter sighed in relief. "Reed will be done soon," He said. "Johnny went to go get you water for when you fully wake up."

Harry nodded. He looked up at Peter, sad and tired. He mouthed an apology, his vocal chords too weak to even try to form the words. He closed his eyes and relaxed.

When he woke up again, Peter helped him sit up on the table next to him. He pulled him in close, keeping his arm around him. They took the mask's band off of Harry's head and allowed Harry to hold it against his face. 

The room was eerily quiet. Reed's almost-silent keyboard clicked loudly as he typed. The soft push of air through the oxygen tank gasped with every breath Harry took. Peter's fingernails tapped against the table, echoing to the far parts of the lab. Johnny's chair squeaked as he rolled back and forth.

Finally, Reed broken the silence as he walked over to the boys with his clipboard.

"You should be dead," He said as-matter-of-fact. All three boys turned their eyes to Reed, almost as if they didn't hear him. He cleared his throat and tried to clarify. "With the specific substances in your body, you should be dead. You shouldn't have been binge drinking in the first place with your broken arm. There are studies that provide strong evidence about alcohol impairing the bone mending process. And your doctor should've warned you the dangers of oxycodone before prescribing it to you. He did, didn't he?"

Harry nodded. He almost forgot he took a pain killer today. Which explains his trouble breathing. He took his serum this morning, trying to make a better habit of it while he was mending his broken bones. It had already seemed to speed up the healing of his rib. But the days when he took the serum and an oxycodone in the summer were the days that he had to have his inhaler. He should've known something like this would've happened. He should've been more careful.

"The alcohol and oxycodone should've killed you," Reed said, looking at the charts. Peter tightened his grip on Harry. "But, there was another substance I couldn't identify. That saved you. There's a high content of it, which should've make it easier to identify but it didn't come up as anything in my databases."

Harry pulled the mask away from his face. "It's an Osc-corp drug."

Reed raised his eyebrow in curiosity.

"Harry has a muscle disorder," Peter explained for Harry, before Reed could make a snide comment about Oscorp. "Norman has a project dedicated to Harry for a cure."

"So the Oscorp drug is for your disorder?" Reed asked. Harry nodded. "What are the side effects?"

Harry opened his mouth, as he pulled the mask away again as he tried to think of the side effects that come with the drug itself. "Nothing," Harry said quietly. "This has been ... the best one we've had so far. Withdrawals are an issue." He moved the mask back to his face taking a breath. Peter moved his hand to Harry's leg, running it up and down. Harry moved the mask away again. "Taking it with oxycodone can cause asthma attacks." 

Peter squeezed Harry's knee gently.

"Whatever it is, it saved you," Reed said as he moved back to the computer. "How much do you usually take?"

"Ten milliliters a day," Harry said through the mask. Johnny repeated it, a little louder for Reed.

"Do you monitor it daily?" Reed asked, as he ran the test on Harry's blood again, attempting to single out the serum.

"Used to," Harry said, pulling the mask away. "We've been doing it twice a week."

"How have the results been?"

"I -- I don't know," Harry said, glancing to Peter. "I haven't seen the results. It used to fall at .42 milliliters an hour."

"You took it at ten this morning," Peter said, remembering Harry taking it before he left. He paused a moment, quickly counting. "You should have close to five milliliters in your system, right?" Harry nodded, holding the mask against his face and leaning his head on Peter's shoulder. Peter moved his arm back around Harry. 

"Hm," Reed said. "Okay. I'm going to run some more blood tests. This sample should still work. I don't want to send you home if your wonder-drug wears off and the alcohol and oxycodone don't." 

"Okay," Harry said, through the mask.

"He said okay," Johnny called out. Reed muttered something that sounded like a thanks. Johnny rolled himself closer to the boys, specifically Harry. He lowered his voice. "I haven't told Reed about this afternoon. So don't worry about that. I did tell him though," He gestured to Peter.

Harry wrinkled his brow. That's exactly what Johnny said he wasn't going to do. "You told him about our kiss?" 

Johnny's expression softened.

"Wait, you guys kissed?" Peter said a little louder than he meant to. 

"No -- I mean, yeah but it didn't mean anything --" Harry started to explain.

"But you guys kissed!" Peter interjected.

"He kissed me," Johnny corrected.

" _You_ kissed _him?"_   Peter said, turning his attention to Harry.

"You kissed him!" Harry reminded. Peter's defense dropped.

"Keep stress levels down," Reed called from the other side of the room.

"I didn't mean it --" Peter said, unsure if he was apologizing or defending his actions. "I just ... couldn't stop rambling."

"This is all my fault," Johnny said.

"No, it's -- not."

"It's not your fault."

"I shouldn't have egged on Harry," Johnny said, crossing his arms. "I mean, his kiss wasn't my fault. Hands down. I'm handsome. I know that. But if I didn't tell him I was going to kiss you --"

"What?"

"It seemed like a good idea at the time!" Johnny defended. "I said I would so he'd understand what you would feel --"

"So you gave him the stress attack?" Peter said, turning his full attention to Johnny.

“No –- I mean, I guess I did but not on purpose –-“

“You wanted him to stress out?”

“Yeah –-“

“On purpose.”

“Yeah but I didn’t know that would happen!”

“How did you think this was a good idea?” Peter ruffled his brow. “I told you what happened this summer when he found out –-“

“You told him?” Harry asked. “Pete, that was supposed to stay between us.”

“Harry, I –-“

“I trusted you, Peter,” Harry said, pulling the oxygen mask away and setting it back on the table. He eased himself off the table, still attempting to regain his strength. Peter reached over to help him, but Harry swatted him away. “I would never tell your secrets. I hope you know that.”

“Harry, I didn’t tell him _that_ ,” Peter said. Harry studied Peter for a moment, trying to decipher what he told Johnny if he didn’t tell him about his time as the Green Goblin. “Harry, we really should talk --” He glanced to Johnny. “-- Alone.”

Johnny pressed his lips together and nodded, he rolled himself to the other side of the lab near Reed to give them space. Peter reached for the oxygen mask, handing it to Harry. Harry rolled his eyes before taking it and bringing it up to his nose. He was ready to leave, but if he was going to stay a little longer, he might as well breathe right.

“I thought you were done Project Green,” Peter whispered.

“I am -– I was,” Harry said, muffled through the mask. He took a deep breath before moving the mask away from his face. “I am now. I promise.”

“Harry –-“

“I just needed this one thing,” he said. “It’s to help monitor the serum without constant blood samples.”

“But is this going to be the tumbling point?” Peter asked. “This isn’t going to suck you back in, is it?”

Harry wrinkled his brow. “No. Of course not. Don’t you trust me?”

“I trusted you when you said you were done,” Peter said, raising his voice. “I trusted you when you said you had everything under control and that you weren’t going to abuse your pain killers.”

Harry opened his mouth, to close it again. He leaned against the table to stabilize his balance. Peter slipped off the table, pressing his hand against the small of Harry's back.

"I didn't tell him about the Goblin," Peter lowered his voice. The awkward silence of the lab told Peter that he was a little too loud when he scorned Harry. "I told him that you left after you found out my identity. That's it."

Harry pressed his lips together, nodded gently. God. He felt bad. Physically and emotionally. He leaned into Peter, closing his eyes. "You deserve better," he mumbled into the mask.

"What?"

"You deserve better." He looked over his shoulder at Johnny, who was leaning over Reed, attempting to help him. ~~(Attempting is a broad word in this situation).~~  "Someone who's not a huge fuck-up."

Peter studied Harry before connecting his glance to Johnny. "Is this because I kissed him?"

Harry pressed his lips together, keeping the oxygen mask in place to avoid answering Peter.

"Harry, I deserve to be in love with my best friend." That pulled Harry's attention back to Peter quickly. "I kissed him because I was rambling about you. He ... he thinks you have a connection to the Goblin. I told him he was wrong. I couldn't stop talking and did the only thing I could do."

"God," Harry laughed, pulling his oxygen mask away. "You're perfect for me."

"You're probably the only person who dares to describe this mess as perfect," Peter grinned, leaning in to kiss Harry. He pulled away, knowing that they shouldn't kiss for too long. He couldn't afford to steal Harry's breath away. He ran his thumb against Harry's cheek. "Be my better."

Harry nodded softly. 

"Sorry to ruin your romcom moment," Johnny said, rolling back over nonchalantly. "But we have something you should look at."

Peter and Johnny helped Harry to the other side of the room using the chair. 

"You said you take ten milliliters a day?" Reed asked, turning away from the computer.

"Yeah," Harry said, a little confused about the way Reed addressed it. "Ten a day."

"You have 42 milliliters in your blood, that I could detect," Reed said, leaning forward. "Are you sure you're just taking ten milliliters?"

"Yeah," Harry said, crossing his arms. He wasn't sure if he actually believed Reed was smart enough to single out the serum in his blood without any idea what the blood contained. "I just take one pill a day. There shouldn't be that much there. Unless --" He tried to pull himself off the serum. It took a while for him to do it, but he managed to switch his intake to just once a week. His body suffered and had to adapt to the new intake.

"Your dad up'd the dosage?" Peter suggested.

"I was going to say my metabolism for the medication slowed," Harry said. "But ... I wouldn't put it past him." 

"I want to keep you overnight," Reed said, as he turned back to the computer. "If we're unsure about the rate you break down your serum, I don't want to let you leave until we know that the alcohol and the oxycodone are gone."

"Norman --" Harry started, letting his father's name hang in the air for a moment. "-- My dad, wouldn't like that too well."

"Do you want to call him and have him monitor you tonight?" Reed asked, extending his arm to grab his phone off the lab table a few yards away. "You should be monitored either way."

"No, I'm fine here," Harry said quickly. He'd rather not bring his dad into this. "My ... my dad's in London on a business trip."

"Very well," Reed said, leaving the phone on the table. He kept his arm extended, searching through one of the drawers for cardiac monitoring pads. He kept his attention to the computer, as he synced the pads wirelessly. He handed them to Harry. "I mainly would be monitoring your heartbeat. I'd like for you to be on oxygen for another 30 minutes, an hour if you could. I'm afraid we will have to do blood tests once every hour since that seems to be the only way to test the serum levels. Once we establish a baseline after the first hour or two, our intervals can be extended."

Peter and Johnny wheeled Harry back to the table. He got up and sat on the table, taking off his shirt so the boys could apply the monitor pads.

"Do you want me to go get you a change of clothes?" Peter asked, as he left his hand linger on Harry's chest. "I can run to campus. I can get your inhaler while I'm there."

"Yeah, that would be good," Harry nodded.

"Peter, get yourself PJs, too," Johnny said. "We'll have a big sleepover of some sorts in the living room. Pizza, boy talk, pillow fights and everything a girl could dream of."

"No pillow fights," Reed called.

"Pillow fights," Johnny repeated quietly, placing the pads along Harry's back.

"You had me at pizza," Peter laughed. "So, I'll get two changes of clothes, inhaler --" He lowered his voice " -- Watch?"

"No," Harry whispered, shaking his head. "I ... I can deal with blood samples. I don't need Reed thinking I stole the tech."

"You did," Johnny said.

"You gave it to me," Harry reminded. 

"Fair," Johnny shrugged.

"I'll go get it," Peter said, pressing a gentle kiss against Harry's forehead before heading to the elevator. "I'll be right back."

"Where's my kiss?" Johnny called after Peter.

"Bad joke," Peter called back. 

After two long chess games between the boys and four shorter ones as a team (Valeria and Franklin have their games down to 6 moves or less. It doesn't help that Johnny and Harry don't work well together), they moved upstairs to the lounge for a movie. At first, they sat at opposite ends of the long couch, legs extended in the middle as they waited for Peter, but the longer he took, the closer they moved together. It wasn't their fault that Johnny was extremely warm. By the time that Peter stepped out of the elevator, Harry was cuddling with Johnny on the couch.

"What did I miss?" Peter laughed, leaning over to press a soft kiss against Harry's lips.

"They inducted Will Smith into the men in black," Johnny said.

"I meant this," Peter smirked as he gestured to the two of them. "But thanks for spoiling the movie for me."

"It came out in '97," Harry said. "And he's warm. He's the Human Space-Heater. What took so long?"

"Didn't have my suit and the subway was running slow," Peter said, leaning over the back of the couch. He handed Harry his inhaler. "Stopped a mugging on my way back. How are you doing?"

"Better," Harry said. "Come lay down. We can start the movie over."

"No that's fine," Peter laughed. "You've already spoiled it. Where's Reed?"

"We kicked him out," Johnny explained. "We can't watch a Sci-fi movie without him explaining what doesn't work. He's in the lab."

"Okay," Peter said. He watched the screen for a moment before speaking up again. "Bathroom? I need to change."

"Down the hall and to the left," Johnny said, his attention back on the television.

"Thanks," Peter walked down the hall, glancing back to the boys in the lounge before turning to the right to the stairs. He walked down to the lab where Reed was busy in the computer, breaking down Harry's newest blood sample.

"Hey Peter," He said, barely looking up from the computer. "The boys should be in the lounge. They have a movie playing."

"Yeah, I just came from there," Peter said, slinging his bookbag on the table. He dug through the front pocket. "I actually wanted to talk with you."

"About?"

"About Harry's medicine," Peter pulled out the pill bottle, handing it to Reed. "I'm his cure."


	20. 'God, you are my son.'

Peter came back upstairs to hear Johnny and Harry arguing. He rushed down the hall to realize that they weren't fighting, just ... passionately discussing which sequel was better. Peter sighed in relief as he pushed himself between the now-sitting two and grabbed a slice of pizza from the coffee table. 

"You guys are both wrong," Peter said taking a bite of the pizza. "The animated series was the best sequel."

Johnny and Harry groaned.

"You guys know I'm right," Peter smirked, snaking his free hand around Harry pulling him in. Harry relaxed his body against Peter's, finding a way to get comfy on the couch. Once they found comfort, they quietly watched the movie, enchanted by the climax of the film.

Johnny glanced at the two and smiled softly. They were being gross and touchy and it was kind of sickening for Johnny to look at, but something felt right about having Peter and Harry as friends. Or kind of friends. Either way, they felt more real than some of the people that were at the party. Peter and Harry didn't treat him like some sort of celebrity because he was the Human Torch. (It actually made Harry kind of dislike him ... do they still count as friends?) And as much as he kind of hated being the third wheel, he almost didn't mind it with these two. At least, they don't have their tongues down each other's throat while they're all watching the movie. 

But at the same time, Johnny felt guilty. He was happy to call them his sort-of friends ... but he also accused Harry of being the Goblin. Not to his face, but he still felt guilty. He didn't want Harry to find out through Peter and think Johnny absolutely hates him. He just ... has a strong caution toward the Osborns.

"Hey, I -- I need to apologize," Johnny said, reaching over to pause the movie. He moved from the couch, to the coffee table, pushing the pizza box over. "I just -- feel guilty, y'know?"

"Johnny, it was all our fault," Peter said. "You don't have to apologize. I mean, we both _kissed you."_

"Not that," Johnny said. He pressed his lips together, trying to figure out how to address his guilt. "Well, kind of. Harry while ... while we were in the closet, I may have suggested that the Goblin works for Oscorp and that you guys were evil. I mean, I still kind of think you guys are evil, but not like 'bad guy, supervillain' evil. Just corporation evil and I mean -- I'm sorry I just ... jumped to conclusions."

"It's ... It's okay," Harry glanced to Peter, and bit his lip. He knew that the Goblin wouldn't stop, that Oscorp wouldn't stop, until they got what they wanted: supersoldiers. And their current plan was through Spider-Man. He remembered when they first started as the Goblin, that they tried to keep the damage to a minimum. That his dad wouldn't let them consider hostages to keep the Goblin's name clean. But what happened at the George Washington Bridge, that the Goblin was willingly ready to let that bomb detonate if Spider-Man didn't find it in time ... that wasn't Oscorp. That was a villain that needed to be stopped. He was harming New York City. "I need to tell him," Harry whispered to Peter. "We need to stop the Goblin."

"Hare --"

Harry turned back to Johnny. "You were right."

"What?"

"I mean, we didn't start out as evil --"

_"What?"_

"The Goblin works for Oscorp," Harry said. "Well -- I think."

_"You think?"_

"I don't know," Harry sighed. "I'm no longer involved in the project."

"Hare --"

"Pete," Harry matched his tone. "If he knows, then he can help us. We need to stop the Goblin."

"What the fuck is going on?" Johnny snapped. "You can't just tell me I'm right then don't explain. What's the fun of being right if I have no clue what's going on?"

"He's got a point."

"Okay just -- just give me a moment," Harry said. He ran his hand through his hair. Maybe this was a mistake. "Last year, the Goblin was created to help collect data for a project --"

"Data as in blood samples," Johnny said.

"... Yes," Harry said cautiously. "The project was for my disorder."

"So, what? Are you suggesting the Goblin isn't bad?" Johnny ruffled his brow. 

"No, I'm saying that the Goblin didn't start out as bad," Harry said. "I ... I'm saying that over time, Oscorp changed ideas of what they were going to do with the blood samples. That it wasn't just about me anymore."

"So if it's about you, then you know what's going on," Johnny said. "Can't you stop him?"

"I stopped being involved in April," Harry said. "I thought the project was closed."

Johnny glanced to Peter, remembering him saying that Harry had left during April after he discovered Peter's alter-ego. He pressed his lips together as he pieced the puzzle together. Harry was well involved in the Goblin's project and when he found out who Spider-Man is, he left. He left the project. He left Oscorp. He left Peter.

"So, what?" Johnny said, pulling his attention back to Harry. "You realized the Goblin was attacking Peter and decided daddy's business wasn't for you? Attacking New York is okay, everyone else does it? So why not Oscorp --"

"We never attacked New York," Harry snapped.

"The bombs at GWB say different," Johnny said. He turned to Peter. "Or that apartment complex in Hell's Kitchen? Those were the Goblin, right?"

"Yeah --"

"So why the sudden change of heart?" Johnny said. He knew Harry was getting to a point, but he hated how it was being dragged out. His home was attacked twice. Reed was hurt. His sister was hurt. How could he believe that the Goblin wasn't always bad? He knew he couldn't trust Oscorp, so why should he trust an Osborn? "What's different now than it was a month ago? Then it was last year?"

"A month ago, it wasn't me," Harry snapped. "It. Wasn't. Me. I had control in the project. And now I don't. I don't know what's going on and --"

"It wasn't you," Johnny repeated slowly. "So, it was you? The Goblin?"

"Yes."

Shivers went up Peter's spine.

Peter leaped in-between Johnny and Harry, grabbing Johnny and pulling him away. Harry barely had time to react before he realized he was almost punched in the face.

"Let me go!" Johnny gritted, trying to fight Peter's grip. "He hurt Sue. He has hurt _people_ \--"

"I never hurt citizens," Harry said. "I didn't want to harm anyone! I stopped when --"  His eyes glanced to Peter then back to Johnny. "-- When I hurt Peter." Johnny stopped. He started to relax in Peter's grip as Harry softened his tone. "I wanted out before then. There were plans of super soldiers. I told my dad I wanted out, he told me one more time and I regret it. I should've -- I should've told him no."

Johnny studied Harry. He pulled himself slowly from Peter's now loosened grip. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because we need to stop the Goblin," Harry said. In truth, Harry was worried about Peter. If the Goblin still was taking blood samples, wanting Spider-Man to join the team, then the Goblin was still a part of Project Green. If Peter tells the Goblin 'no', then what will stop the Goblin before he takes Spider-Man in? Before he takes Peter in? "We need to stop him before he hurts more people."

"Are we going to kill him?"

"No. No, no, no," Peter interrupted. "No killing. We are not going to be murderers."

"I wasn't going to agree to it," Johnny put his hands up defensively.

"I wasn't going to suggest it," Harry mimicked Johnny.

"Okay," Peter said, sighing. "Then what are we going to do? We don't have any proof that he did the GWB almost-bombing, we can't just have the police arrest him for flying around without a license."

"We could shut down Oscorp, source of the problem."

"No," Harry snapped. "It's not all bad. Just ... just this one thing. Just the Goblin."

"Okay," Johnny huffed, crossing his arms. "So, what? You just going to talk to daddy and tell him to stop the project? Stop the green man from terrorizing the city?"

Peter and Harry looked at each other. "That's ... that's not a bad idea," Harry finally said. "Only problem is, I finally just shook my dad off my trail from thinking I was dating Spider-Man."

"What," Johnny spat, turning to Peter. "I told you writing your name on his cast was the dumbest idea ever."

"Not an issue now --"

"Definitely an issue," Johnny crossed his arms. "I was right. Again! And instead of a target on your back, you got daddy Osborn --"

"Please stop calling my dad 'daddy' --"

"-- On Spider-Man's ass because he thinks Spider-Man's on Harry's ass," Johnny leaned against the coffee table. "It wouldn't surprise me if it wasn't Norman in that suit."

Harry exhaled sharply. He didn't want to argue while Johnny was being stubborn, quick to drag Oscorp's name in the mud. He half-contemplated going home and calling one of the researchers in to monitor him. His dad would be angry once he found out, but that would be less time he had to deal with Johnny's bullshit.

"What if he's right?" Peter's voice was quiet, as he noticed Harry was already on-edge from Johnny's comment, but the more Peter thought about it, the more he wondered if it may have been true. He thought the Goblin was Norman last year with all of his protective comments. And the few times he's had interacted with the Goblin over the past month, his voice sounded familiar, almost thinking it was Harry, but quickly passed the thought out of his head. "The Goblin said he would die for you."

"... What?"

Peter pushed himself off the floor and to the couch next to Harry. Peter softly squeezed his knee. "He asked me if I would die for you. Then said that he would -- that he would die for you."

"You ... you didn't answer him, did you?" Peter pressed his lips together and shook his head. 

"So you either have a dedicated Goblin ..." Johnny started, hoping he didn't have to finish his sentence after the death glare he got for suggesting the idea.

"Or my dad's the Goblin," Harry said quietly. He let the thought play in his head for a moment, that his dad was not only hiding Project Green but that he took over the Goblin to continue the work. He put his head in his hands. If his dad is the Goblin, then he bombed the apartment building in Hell's Kitchen. He was ready to blow up the George Washington Bridge, harming innocent people. Did he even know his dad anymore? Peter squeezed his knee, pulling Harry out of his thoughts. "I'll talk to him."

"Hare --"

"I'll talk to him," Harry repeated. He exhaled slowly before changing his mood entirely, turning his attention to Johnny. "So, we were promised boy talk."

"I was joking --"

"Spill on Wyatt."

Peter and Johnny looked at each other, hesitating whether they should drop the topic. Johnny pressed his lips together as he moved to the couch, changing his demeanor, following Harry's lead. "So, imagine small, innocent Johnny --" Somebody _snorted._   "-- Storm, circa ... first day on campus, needing to find the dean's office to get out of his biology class. Didn't find the dean's office, found Wyatt Wingfoot instead."

"And he's plays basketball?"

"Ugh," Johnny rolled his eyes. "It's more like what sport doesn't he play."

\-----

Harry stood outside his dad's office, trying to calm himself down. He didn't need to worry. This was just his dad. He's known him for his whole life. Granted, for a few years he felt distant -- no, _he was_ distant to Harry. But this past year he's changed. He's more caring and present in his life. He's changed. He's not the man that Johnny was suggesting he was. 

Harry sighed, and knocked against the door frame, catching his father's attention.

"Harry, didn't expect to see you swing by. How did the errands go Saturday?"

"Fine," Harry said, shifting his weight awkwardly. "Dad, can we ... can we talk?" 

"Of course," Norman said, clearing his desk. Harry couldn't tell if it was an old habit or if he had classified projects that he needed to hide from his son. Either way, Harry stood hesitantly for a moment, before approaching his dad's desk and sitting down in the chair. He tried to figure out how he was going to approach the topic. Maybe he should've asked Peter and Johnny what he should've said before he came into his dad's office, but it was too late for that. "What's on your mind?"

"Is Project Green still going?" Harry spat out. God. He wished he planned this out better.

Norman almost looked startled that Harry asked. "Project Green was closed."

"But was it reopened?" Harry asked, leaning forward. 

"Harry --" Norman's condescending tone killed Harry. It was like he was a child again and his worries were monsters in the closet.

"I know the Goblin was at the GWB," Harry interrupted. "I know Spider-Man wasn't alone."

"Where did you hear that from?" Norman asked. This was entirely different from what Harry had previously said last week, where he claimed Spider-Man must have done the bombings since he was there alone. That defending Spider-Man was the exact opposite tone of what Harry expressed over the past week. He claimed Spider-Man was heartless and that he didn't have any trust in the 'masked heroes' anymore. Norman stayed optimistic in his son, hoping he was no longer involved with the vigilante.

"I saw videos online," Harry lied. "Tourists in the area, probably visiting Grant's memorial." Harry could see Norman's hesitation. "I don't like being lied to dad, I've defended your name, I want to know what's going on in my home." 

"God, you are my son," Norman said, straightening up the already straightened papers. "The project isn't reopened. You didn't want to move forward with Project Green, so we didn't. We opened a new, similar project for your well-being. The researchers are focused on developing a better serum, but they need the data. We want to collect enough to for a genetic screening for self-sustaining DNA to continue the project artificially. We have a Goblin out, but I promise you they are strictly told to keep damage to a minimal."

"The apartment complex in Hell's Kitchen?"

"Evacuated, hardly anyone was hurt," Norman said. "Your pal Spider-Man was there to save the day, wasn't he?"

"He's not my pal," Harry said.

"Then where is your concern stemming from?" 

"From my concern in the company," Harry crossed his arms. "You said it yourself, I am as much the face of the company as you are. So shouldn't I be concerned about a project that may incriminate Oscorp?"

"The project will not incriminate us," Norman scorned. "We're fine. I have this project handled."

Harry nodded, pressing his lips together. He wasn't sure how much he should trust his dad, especially with the project kept hidden from him. "Who's the Goblin?"

"His identity is protected," Norman said, turning his attention his computer to log off for the evening. "Some of the researchers are left blind to the employee's identity. Very few know."

"What about super soldiers?" Harry asked, leaning forward. "Are they still an objective for the project?"

Norman studied his son, before gathering his papers and putting them in the filing cabinet. "It's time to go home, Harry. Are you heading back to campus or staying for supper?"

Harry felt slapped. He knew it wasn't an actual concern, but ... it hurt to feel his dad ignore his question. He pushed the chair back, knowing Norman gave him all the information he was going to give him. "Heading back. Peter and I had plans."

"Glad to hear you and Peter are in a good spot," Norman said. "Let him know he's always welcomed to join our team. We can always find room for another research assistant."

"Will do," Harry said nonchalantly before leaving his dad's office. As soon as he was in the elevator, he pulled out his phone and texted Peter and Johnny.

_To: Peter Parker, Johnny Storm;_

_H: Dad said Goblin's an employee, wouldn't give a name_

_H: Said he's collecting blood samples to get a solid genetic screening for self sustaining DNA_

_J: In non evil corp terms?_

_H: They want to get enough data so they don't have to collect anymore data_

_H: They want to pull out the "spider gene" so they can have it without getting more blood samples_

_J: So that means ... ????_

_P: Do you feel confident that there's no super soldiers?_

_Johnny Storm changed the name of the conversation to "Team Go Fuck Yourself"_

_H: No_

_H: He didn't deny that super soldiers were apart of the project, he avoided the topic completely_

_H: Like it was the dumbest thing I said_

_J: So are we going to fight the Goblin?_

_P: Not if its an intern_

_Johnny Storm changed the name of the conversation to "Beat Up Oscorp Interns 2k17"_

_H: Technically he said employee so it's not an intern_

_Johnny Storm changed the name of the conversation to "Beat Up Oscorp Employees 2k17"_

_P: Can we even fight them if Oscorp would just find a replacement Goblin?_

_H: I'm an oscorp employee_

_P: It would just mean more oscorp employees end up in jail or bruised which i mean they deserve for bombing nyc_

_J: So are we just going to be passive about this?_

_J: Lets be passive aggressive, Harry tell your dad that everythings fine but grunt about it like it's not fine_

_H: fuck off_

_Johnny Storm changed the name of the conversation to "Be Passive Agressive to Oscorp 2k17"_

_Harry Osborn changed the name of the conversation to "Stop fucking changing the name of the conversation"_

_Johnny Storm changed the name of the conversation to "Make me [middle finger emoji x5]"_

_P: I hate you both._

_Harry Osborn changed the name of the conversation to "Peter, Harry & one (1) dumbass"_

_Peter Parker changed the name of the conversation to "Peter and two (2) dumbasses"_

_Johnny Storm changed the name to the conversation to "The Dumbasses(TM)"_

_P: OKAY_

_P: SOMEBODY FUCKING ORDER PIZZA AND LETS JUST TALK IN PERSON_

_P: BECAUSE FUCK THIS_

_P: IF ANYONE HAS ANY ALCOHOL I NEED THAT TOO FUCK YOU_

\-----

As soon as Harry left Norman's office, he turned back to his filing cabinet, quickly moving the files he just put away to the filing cabinet with the lock. If Harry was asking questions, Norman wouldn't be surprised if Harry breaks into his office to find the file. Luckily, he knew one of the researchers had a strong German background, using his second language to write the file. Norman was familiar with the language, able to read most of the file but had the English version kept in his files. He couldn't let Harry find it.

His phone buzzed before his assistant's voice came through the speaker.

"Mr. Osborn, I know you are about to head out, but you have security on line 1."

"Thank you," He said, pressing the intercom button. "I'll see you tomorrow." He picked up the phone. "This is Norman."

"Mr. Osborn, this is Aaron Lawrence in security. You said to contact you if we found any interesting characters around the building."

"This isn't another sly comment about politicians, is it?" Norman groaned, rubbing his temple. "I have already warned Jeremy --"

"My apologies about Jeremy," Aaron said. "This is about a masked vigilante entering your home, around midnight Friday."

"My home," Norman said, turning to his computer to log back in. "As in the penthouse?"

"Yes," Aaron said. "It's hard to tell which room he entered, but it was the top floor. He left in the morning through a skylight on the northeast side."

Norman thought for a moment, mapping out his home in his mind before reaching for a pen and paper. "Time stamps and cameras?"

"Friday at 23:48:15, Roof camera #12NE, 23:49:54 Roof camera #16SW, and Saturday at 9:43:23 Roof camera #16SW and again at 9:45:02 #12NE."

"Thank you, Aaron."

"It also seemed like the motion sensors were tripped twice about 21:32, but the security guard on duty wrote a note that it was your son. He doesn't have any notes about the Spider-Man sightings."

"Thank you," Norman said, writing the time down on his note pad. "I will give these a look."


	21. 'Have you considered my offer?'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Three chapter update! I realized that with the schedule I had planned, I would be updating over the holidays when family was over and this seemed easier than to find time to update. Plus, I've been really excited about this being done!

The pizza gathering was almost a waste. The boys couldn't find common ground on how to stop the Goblin.

Peter wanted to stop the Goblin alone.

Harry wanted to find a way to shut down the project without any interaction with the Goblin.

Johnny just wanted to shutdown Oscorp.

Eventually, Ezra came into the suite from practice, ceasing their discussion. But as soon as he jumped in the shower, the boys quickly wrapped up their discussion quietly.

"Okay, shutting down Oscorp? Off the table," Harry whispered. "Fighting Goblin alone? Not going to happen."

"You're not going to --"

"You have Johnny," Harry said, gesturing to a pouting Johnny, who quickly cheered up.

"You have me!" He confirmed, a little too eager about fighting the Goblin.

"Plus, I could be off-site," Harry suggested. "I know Oscorp, I know the suit, I can find out the plan."

"We can discuss this later," Peter hushed. "We need time to think of options.”

“So we’re just going to wait until the next bombing?” Johnny asked, crossing his arms. “We’re literally going to sit around and wait until the Goblin -–“

Peter hushed him, gesturing to the sound of water running. “We’re going to wait until we can discuss this without accidentally revealing identities.”

“Fine,” Johnny shrugged. He reached for a breadstick and dipped it in the buttery sauce. “But I’m going to save an ‘I told you so’ whenever the Baxter Building is on fire.”

Harry rolled his eyes as he ate his pizza slice. He hoped that Peter had a better idea for them to do. He wasn’t sure if he could handle anymore of Johnny’s sass or half-assed suggestions.

Wednesday during Physics, Johnny passed Harry a list of options for “Team Take Down the ~~Oscorp~~ Goblin” to consider. Several, which included setting Oscorp on fire or contacting the Better Business Bureau. Harry passed the paper back with a giant “NO” written on top of the page.

Thursday, Johnny caught Peter in the suite before he left for his morning class to suggest breaking into Oscorp with GoPros and capture the Goblin on film to expose Norman’s plans. Peter nixed that idea real quick.

Friday, Johnny took Peter and Harry off guard during supper.

“You could get reinvolved,” Johnny said, setting his plate and cup next to theirs.

“What?” Peter asked.

“Not you. Him,” Johnny said, gesturing to Harry and his mouthful of salad. “Get reinvolved in project whatever.”

“No –-“

“Johnny -–“

“You don’t have to actually be involved,” Johnny continued, taking a bite of his scallop potatoes. “Just fake your interest. Be our spy. Keep us in the loop.”

“That’s … not a bad idea,” Peter said, turning to Harry. “You could say that you just don’t want to be the Goblin, especially since your arm is still healing.”

“Norman was ready to put me in the suit _Saturday,”_   Harry said, lowering his voice. They were the dining hall, they couldn’t be talking about this now.

“Even with a broken arm?” Peter asked.

“Yeah,” Harry said, pushing his salad around on the plate with his fork. “The suit was adjusted for it. It had more protection for it.”

“He knows you got the tech, right?” Johnny asked. Harry nodded. “Then he probably knows you didn’t suit up. Maybe you can stress that the suit puts too much stress on you. That suiting up would be bad for your health.”

“Except he’s tracking my health,” Harry said, lifting his wrist to showcase his watch. “God, this … this sucks.” He shoved another forkful of salad into his mouth. Maybe it was just the dining hall’s salad that sucked.

“Are you sure you don’t want to bring the company down?” Johnny asked. “It would be the easiest route.”

"And for my dad to end up in jail."

"Is that  _not_  what we're wanting?" Johnny raised an eyebrow.

"No!" 

"No."

"Then what's stopping him from finding another way to create a team of evil superheroes?" Johnny asked. "Flyers across Manhattan? 'Apply in person if you consider yourself an evil villain' ?"

“Can you stop?” Harry snapped quietly. This wasn’t the place to be discussing how to take down supervillains and possibly evil corporations. Especially with Johnny Storm, the campus’s own celebrity superhero. It wouldn’t be long until someone nearby discovered Peter’s secret identity if the hear the Human Torch plan villain takedowns. “Fine. I’ll … I’ll try to get back in. But we’re changing topics. Now.”

Peter reached out and softly squeezed Harry’s knee, seeing that the topic was clearly bugging him. Peter didn’t want to force Harry into doing this but it was the most viable option they had so far.

“What are you guys doing tomorrow night?” Johnny asked, cutting off a bite of his grilled chicken. “Wyatt and I are doing a movie night at my place. Want to join?”

“We’ve got plans for tomorrow,” Peter said, swatting Harry’s hand away from his fries. “It’s date night.”

“Just have it at my place with Wyatt and me,” Johnny smirked. “We’ll call it a double date. Except Wyatt doesn’t know it’s a date so don’t verbally call it a double date.”

“We’ll pass,” Harry laughed, as he reached for his plate of pasta, digging his fork into the alfredo-covered carbs. “It’s a special date night.”

“If you’re planning out your sexcapades you can just say it,” Johnny rolled his eyes. Harry choked on his bite of pasta.

“It’s not just about sex,” Peter rolled his eyes. “But that’s half of it.”

_“PETER.”_

“He’s not wrong and you know it,” Peter laughed. “Speaking of --”

“Oh god,” Johnny groaned. “Please don’t start now.”

“No, I meant that I probably need to head out,” Peter said, wrapping half of his sandwich up in the parchment paper, slipping it into his hoodie pocket. “If we want to have the day to ourselves, I need to go and do some extra crimefighting today.” He stood up and leaned over Harry to press a soft kiss against his lips.

“Be safe,” Harry said. “And grab a piece of fruit before you get scurvy.”

“I had orange juice this morning,” Peter smirked. “I’ll catch you tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Yeah, I got some tips on the Vulture,” Peter said. “I’ll probably be out late. I’ll just come back to the suite. I don’t need to wake you up.”

“Yeah,” Johnny smirked. “You’re gonna need your rest for your sexcapades.”

Harry turned to Peter, acting as if he was offended. Actually, Peter couldn’t tell if he _actually was_  offended. “Why are we friends with him?”

“I’ll catch you guys later,” Peter laughed, grabbing a handful of fries before he walked away.

“I’m serious!” Harry called after him before looking back at Johnny, sighing.

“It’s because I’m cute,” Johnny grinned. Harry rolled his eyes. “You know it’s true, because you didn’t complain when you kissed --”

“If you finish that sentence, I’m going to call Wyatt over and tell him your plan to kiss him tomorrow.”

“No!” Johnny whined. “You’ll ruin my 26-step plan.”

“26 steps?” Harry raised an eyebrow.

“Fuck off,” Johnny said, gathering his dishes. “And help me with Step 22.”

“What’s Step 22 –-“

Johnny was already off with his and Harry's plates, catching Wyatt by the dish return tubs. "I wasn't done with that," Harry sighed, gathering the dishes that Peter left behind to follow him. He caught the tail end of their conversation. If Harry had plans for tonight, they were cancelled by Johnny Storm. He was roped in to playing video games with Johnny and Wyatt. Which … wasn’t really a problem. Better than watching Netflix in his room while he tried to ignore all itches in his cast. Plus, he didn't absolutely hate Johnny's presence. He just ... annoyed him easily.

\-----

Peter patrolled once more in the morning. Just a quick patrol around Manhattan. He stopped by Harry's room before he went out to wish him a good morning and double checked their plans before heading out for some early morning crimefighting. He never expected much on a Saturday morning (he hoped everyone was still watching their morning cartoons), but you'd never know.

Spider-Man did stop a small bank robbery and caught a man running off with someone's purse. 

He also stopped young entrepreneur on his way to Wall Street. He pulled Harry into an alleyway with a muffled yelp. ("God, I hate you," Harry had laughed as he pulled Spider-Man's mask up slightly to press a soft kiss against Peter's lips.)

Once he got back to the dorms, he wanted to take a quick shower, wash the smell of sweat off his body, before he went out with Harry in the afternoon.

They planned to grab a small late lunch after Harry was done running errands for Norman. They had a few activities planned for the afternoon, a nice supper, and, eventually, they’d make their way to Queens for the night, taking advantage of the empty Parker house, courtesy of a Girls’ Night Out that took Aunt May out of town for the weekend.

He had just made it into the suite before he felt his phone buzz against his hip. He shut the door, quickly glancing around the suite before pulling his phone out from his suit pocket, hidden under the elastic band of his sweatpants.

_H: Change of plans. Do you want to meet up at OSCORP? I’m done with errands. Well, almost. Last one is at OSCORP._

_P: i need to shower first_

_H: You can shower here. [Winky face emoji]_

Peter smirked at the text, but knew they had planned to avoid Oscorp for the day because of Norman’s presence. He leaned against the door as he texted back.

_P: your dad still there?_

_H: He’s heading out soon. He will be gone by the time the shower is on._

_P: I’ll be there in a few._

_H: Great. Love you x_

_P: lol love you too_

“You gotta learn to conceal that stupid grin of yours,” Johnny said, in the doorway of his room. “Oh, and your suit, too. It’s peeking out from your sleeves.”

“You got a stupid grin,” Peter mumbled back as he pulled his sleeves down.

“I thought you and Harry were –-“

“Just heading to him,” Peter said, gesturing to the door. “Well. I mean, I didn’t know we were doing this now. Or else I wouldn’t have come here. He just texted me that he’s almost done with his errands. So we're meeting now.”

“Neat,” Johnny said, almost uninterested. “Thanks for giving me the play-by-play coach.”

“Fuck you,” Peter laughed. “You should consider clothes sometime.”

“I sleep hot.”

Peter rolled his eyes as he left the suite, calling out a goodbye to Johnny.

Peter showed up at Oscorp about fifteen minutes later, his suit well concealed by his sweats. He grabbed a few extra clothes before he left the suite, shoving them into his bookbag.

They had plans to go to the New York Hall of Science and check out a couple of exhibits, and the clothes he brought would be fine for that, but he wasn't sure if they were fancy dinner nice. If they were going all out, they might have to go back to campus for a change of clothes. Or Peter would need to borrow something of Harry's. Either way, he really didn't want to be in sweats all day.

He reached into his deep pocket and pulled out his phone.

_P: I'm in the lobby, I'll be up in a few._

He walked into the lobby, smirking at Harry's slightly dirty text. He started to text back, something equally as dirty before a deep voice grabbed his attention.

"Peter," Norman said surprised. "Didn't expect to see you here on a Saturday."

"Y-yeah," Peter laughed awkwardly, shoving his hands into his pockets. He still had his webshooters on, planning to surprise Harry. "We're going to NYSCI today and he said he was done early.  So I figured we could have a little extra time in some of the exhibits if I came over."

"Let me walk you up," Norman said, taking a quick glance into his satchel. "It looks like I forgot my laptop on the kitchen counter."

"Okay," Peter said, keeping his hands in his pocket as Norman walked him to the elevator. 

\-----

Johnny laid on the lumpy couch in his briefs. Perks of being the only one in the suite on a Saturday. He didn't have to be on campus, he could very well be lounging around the Baxter Building. But he's working hard on step 24 of his plan to kiss Wyatt Wingfoot. Phone in hand as he adjusted himself on the couch, leaning well off of the couch as he texted Wyatt.

_J: Movies tonight?_

_J: Baxter Building is completely empty for the weekend_

_J: I know a guy who can pop some great popcorn on open fire_

_J: That's me_

_W: Sure. Who's all invited?_

_J: Small group_

_J: Peter and Harry said that they're going_

_W: Cool. Count me in._

_J: Great!_

_W: [Thumbs up emoji, winky face emoji]_

Johnny smiled. Step 24 completed. He started to work on Step 25 and figuring out what they should watch. Oh god. He didn't even think about that. That should've been thought out eight steps ago. He quickly turned to Netflix, making sure that there was _something_ they could watch on it. Maybe he needed to check his movie collection at the Baxter Building. Or maybe he should run by a movie store. God, he wished Blockbuster was still around.

Frantic knocks against the door pulled his attention away from his thoughts. 

He looked away from his phone to the door before hearing a quick set of knocks again.

"Okay," He huffed, remembering he was the only one in the suite. He pulled himself off the couch and walked to the door. "I'm coming."

He opened the door to a well-dressed Harry. 

"I thought you guys already started on your sexcapades," Johnny smirked, leaning against the door frame. He quickly dropped the smirk as realization hit him. "Or is this a part of it? Oh gross. Let me leave first."

“Fuck off,” Harry said, adjusting the bag on his shoulder. “Is Peter here?”

“No,” Johnny raised an eyebrow. “He left, like two hours ago.”

Harry sighed, running his free hand through his hair. “Do you want me to come inside?”

“Why?”

"I mean," Harry said, taking the quickest glance down. He brought his eyes back up to Johnny's face, keeping them glued there. "You're in your underwear. I just figured --"

"Not everybody has body issues," Johnny said. He stepped back to let Harry in and shut the door behind him. "Just be glad I'm not naked."

"I'm afraid to ask --"

"I sleep hot."

"I didn't want to know."

"Now you do."

"Where's Pete?" Harry sighed.

"I don't know," Johnny said, crossing his arms. "Aren't you his boyfriend? Why don't you text him?"

"I couldn't find my phone," Harry said. He gestured to Peter's room, before walking over. "I'm going to go look."

“What makes you think it’s in Peter’s room?” Johnny said, jumping back on the couch. Harry could handle himself.

“He stopped by my room for a few this morning,” Harry said. “And I may have bumped into a hoodied Spider-Guy earlier while running errands. I just wanted to check to see if he took my phone by accident.”

“You guys are asking for trouble,” Johnny sighed. “Do you want me to call you?”

“Nah,” Harry said. “I should be able to find it.”

Johnny shrugged, as he played on his phone. He wondered about texting Peter to see if he had seen Harry’s phone … before remembering what Peter said before he left. “Wait, you haven’t seen Peter since this morning?”

“That’s what I said.”

“And you don’t have your phone?” Johnny leaned over the couch, looking at Harry.

“Exactly,” Harry huffed, turning back to Johnny. He leaned against the doorway. “Did you even listen to a word I was saying?”

“No, I did,” Johnny confirmed. “But I also listened to what Peter said before he left. He said you texted him.”

“This morning -–“

“Two hours ago,” Johnny corrected. “He said that you were done with your errands?”

“I just got done,” Harry said. “I came here as soon as I was done taking files to the law office.”

“Evil corporation,” Johnny hummed.

“Okay, stop,” Harry said. “You’re suggesting something. What did Peter say?”

“He said he was going to find you,” Johnny said. “Which obviously he’s not good at because you’re –-“

“Johnny, I have a missing boyfriend and someone stole my phone,” Harry huffed. “I’m not in the mood for joking.”

“Okay,” Johnny laughed. “I’ll call him.”

Johnny searched through his contacts, finding Peter’s name. He pressed the call button and put the phone to his ear. It rang twice before being forwarded to voicemail. He ruffled his brow.

“What?”

“It was forwarded,” He said, redialing. It rang three times before reaching voicemail. He hung up, and tried again. It rang once, then voicemail. “I’m going to try yours.” This time, he put it on speaker. Harry leaned on the couch, watching the screen with Johnny.

It rang once before it was answered, then quickly hung up.

“Again,” Harry said. Johnny followed through with the order. It rang twice before it went to voicemail. “What if … what if you text me? Act like you don’t know I’m here.”

“It’s … worth a shot, I guess,” Johnny said, as he turned the phone to himself.

To: Harry ‘Wall Street’ Osborn;

_J: Hey are you guys still on for movie night tonight?_

“Why the fuck is my name -–“

The fake Harry responded.

_H: No, sorry. We have to reschedule. Peter and I have other plans._

Johnny glanced at Harry, raising an eyebrow.

_J: You with Pete?_

_H: Yeah. Stop calling us._

“Maybe we can track my phone,” Harry said, reaching for his laptop in his bag. He opened it up as Johnny continued to type. He turned on his computer to be met with a “low battery” image. He sighed. His charger was in his room. "Just my luck. Okay. We gotta figure out where they're at."

"I'm on it."

_J: What’s more important than movie night ???_

_J: Like [peach emoji, eggplant emoji]_

_J: ?????_

“Oh my god,” Harry said, leaning his head against the couch. He didn’t want to see how this was going to turn out. If Peter was truly with this fake Harry, he didn't want to know what he planned on saying as himself. Oh God, was Peter kidnapped?

_H: No. I’m allergic to peaches._

“Are you?” Johnny asked. Harry picked his head up.

“Yeah,” Harry said slowly. It wasn’t a bad allergy, it just was unpleasant. It was worse when he was a kid, when they barely realized he had an allergy. He thought it was just normal for your throat to kind of tingle after eating them. He didn’t tell many people when they realized it was an allergy, he just avoided eating peaches. "I don't talk about it, really."

"Does Peter know about the allergy?"

"Yeah, actually," Harry laughed. "I think he was the one who told me peaches aren't supposed to make your throat -- What did you just send?"

_J: Are you allergic to Peter’s [peach emoji] ???_

“What the fuck are you –“

_H: I’m allergic to all peaches. No matter who gives it to me._

_J: What about when Peter gives you the [eggplant emoji] ???_

_J: Does your throat swell –_

Johnny couldn’t finish the text before Harry ended up diving into his lap from the back of the couch. They both groaned as Harry’s cast landed on Johnny’s crotch. Harry erased the message glancing at the new one.

_H: It’s fine when he gives me an eggplant._

“I hate you,” Harry said. He called his phone, it rang for a split second before being sent to voicemail. He thought about leaving a tasteful message, but realized that if he kept this up, they might have a change of locating his phone and Peter. He handed the phone back to Johnny as he stood up and walking to the other side of the couch for his bag. “We’re going to my room. I need my computer charger so we can track my phone. I hate to admit it, but keep this up --”

“Why do we need to?” Johnny asked. “Don’t we know where it is?”

Harry shot him a look. “Knowing someone has it doesn’t equal knowing where it is?”

“I thought you were supposed to be smart,” Johnny sighed, leaning back on the couch texting ‘Harry.’

_J: So what are you doing ??_

_J: each other ??_

“What is that supposed to mean?” Harry glared at Johnny. Johnny sat up, showing Harry the conversation. Harry rolled his eyes.

_H: Yes. We are having sex. Please leave us alone._

“I’m going to assume everyone knows about your peach allergy?” Johnny raised an eyebrow.

Harry glanced at the messages before back at Johnny, widening his eyes. “We gotta go.”

“To?”

“Oscorp. Fuck,” He said, running his hand through his hair. “Fuck!”

\-----

Peter stood awkwardly in the elevator next to Norman, shifting his weight back and forth.

He hasn't felt comfortable around Norman since he thought he was the Green Goblin in the spring. But there was something about the ride up to the penthouse that made him feel more uneasy than ever.

Maybe it was the awkward small talk between the two.

Or Norman's hand on his shoulder.

Either way, Peter's spider-senses were going off and he couldn't figure out why.

"Classes going well?" Norman asked, keeping his attention forward.

"Yeah," Peter nodded. "It kind of feels like a review so far, thanks to Midtown Science."

" 'Creating the best of the best'," Norman said, repeating the school'smotto. "Keeping your grades up?"

"Always."

"Good." 

Peter watched as as the screen changed numbers as it passed floors. It seemed to be the slowest elevator in Oscorp. He was pretty sure he was going to die in this elevator.

"Have you considered my offer?"

"What?" Peter asked, caught off guard. He looked at Norman, who kept his attention forward. He remembered Harry vaguely mentioning Norman talking about a research position that opened up ... but he didn't realize it was an offer.

"About joining the team?" The way Norman said 'team' didn't sit right with Peter.

"What?" He repeated slowly.

Norman turned to Peter, his green eyes almost glowing. "Are you going to join our team, Spider-Man?"

Peter's heart stopped, realizing Johnny was right. That his Spider-sense was right. That ... he was fucked. Oh god. He slowly balled his fists in his pockets, careful of the trigger on his web shooters. But before he could pull his hands out of his pocket, Norman tighten his grip on Peter's shoulder. He squeezed, shocking Peter with the electrode pads on his palm. Peter gasped as he felt the electricity flow through his body. He fell to his knees, losing feeling in his legs. He pulled his hands out of his pocket, placing them on the ground to stabilize himself. He needed to pull his strength together. He needed to stand up, to fight back. He needed ... to get out of here. 

He tried to push himself off the floor before he felt Norman's strong hand against his back, shocking him again.

Peter screamed as the pain shot through his body. Norman removed his hand from Peter's back. Peter slumped down against the floor. He watched Norman pick a different floor number, different from the penthouse. 

Peter pulled his strength through the pain, pulling his phone as far out of his pocket as he could, trying to call Harry. His vision faded in and out, but he knew he did it. He saw it was ringing. He saw Harry's comforting face appear on the phone.

But he also saw Norman reach into his pocket and pull out a phone. _Harry's phone._ He grinned, locking the phone as he put it back into his pocket. Peter watched Harry's face fade away on his phone screen. And Peter faded away with him.


	22. 'It’s the only way.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey here's a chapter warning because it got dark and i don't know how to describe it without giving it away but anyway
> 
> chapter warning: suicidal actions/mention??

Harry sat on the suite’s couch, head in his hands as he tried to calm his breathing.

He was pacing a few minutes before, quickly spewing out ideas and thoughts, drowning Johnny in his words. They didn’t know what was going on. They just knew that Peter was missing, that Harry’s phone was stolen, and whoever had it, claimed that they were Harry and Peter was with him. The text messages revealed that whoever had the phone was close to Harry, as they knew his fruit allergy that Harry swears he doesn’t talk about. He’s told Johnny, at least four times that Johnny caught in his rambling, that he’s not sure if he’s really told anyone before. That his dad was one of the few people who probably knew. That he thought his dad kidnapped Peter.

Harry’s constant pacing was making Johnny dizzy. He pulled him to the couch and pushed him to sit down. “Breathe,” Johnny ordered. “I’m going to change. Then we’ll talk about a plan.”

And so, here Harry sat, constantly switching his focus between calming his breathing and Peter’s safety, as Johnny changed. God. He was going to have a panic attack. He closed his eyes, waiting for Johnny.

Johnny came out of his room and sat down next to Harry, putting his hand on his shoulder. “Hey, look at me.”

Harry opened his eyes and turned toward Johnny. He expected Johnny to be in a tee shirt and jeans. Johnny’s attitude toward texting the fake Harry made him seem like he didn’t think it was too big of an issue, that he was taking the missing phone as a joke. And maybe that’s the attitude Harry needed to pick up, so he’d stop thinking Peter was kidnapped and that he was just in the middle of a fight and couldn’t answer his phone.

But Johnny wasn’t in his jeans.

Johnny was in his iconic blue suit, his face somber and attentive. His soft eyes were focused on Harry, finally comforting him. He was taking this seriously. “What’s the plan?”

“The plan?” Harry asked slowly, still taking in the Fantastic Four uniform. He almost didn’t believe that Johnny was actually keeping it in his dorm.

“The plan,” Johnny repeated. “To find Peter.”

“I … I don’t know,” Harry said softly. He didn’t think they were going to spring into action. He thought Johnny was going to change into regular clothes and they would go to the Baxter Building, Harry complaining the entire way that they needed to find Peter without Reed’s help. He didn’t think Johnny was going to suit up right this moment. “I … don’t think that my dad will hurt him but … I can’t …” Can’t put his guard down.

Johnny nodded. “Okay. Let’s quickly go over the facts -–“

“Do we have time to do this?” Harry asked. His heart pounded every second he thought Peter was in danger.

“Yes,” Johnny said, channeling his sister. “Because if we don’t, and Peter’s nowhere near Oscorp, then we’re fucked and wasted time.”

Harry nervously pressed his lips together, nodding. “Okay.”

“Okay,” Johnny said, reaching out to run his hand up and down Harry’s arm, trying to calm him. “Facts. You saw Peter this morning before he went out for a patrol. Right?”

“Right,” Harry breathed. “And again while he was on patrol and while I was doing errands.”

“Peter came back to the dorm at, like, eleven or noon,” Johnny said. “Said he got a text from you about meeting you early.”

“At Oscorp?”

“He didn’t say,” Johnny said. “He said you were done early. He grabbed some clothes and left. Didn’t change.”

“Then I show up,” Harry said. “Two hours later. No phone. No Peter.”

“When did you last see your phone?” Johnny said.

Harry leaned his head back, closing his eyes as he thought. “With Peter, on my way to Wall Street. He –- Spider-Man –- was in the area. He surprised me and pulled me into an alleyway. I dropped my phone and the screen cracked a little.” He remembered teasing Peter about it after he pulled the mask up and kissed him, but he wasn’t too worried. It was just a protection screen and could easily be replaced. “Peter picked up my phone and put it in my bag. I didn’t need it, so I didn’t worry about it being there.”

Johnny reached over the couch and picked up the bag from the floor. “What pocket?”

“The big one,” Harry said. “But it’s not there. Someone has it, remember?”

“What else was in the big pocket?” Johnny said, opening it anyway.

“A lot of files,” Harry said. “I mean, there were different stuff in it throughout the morning. I had financials files, quarterly reports that needed to go to Wall Street, law stuff that needed to go back to dad, then he had me run a model down to investors –-“

“Wait, so you went back to Oscorp?” Johnny said. “Tell me _your_ morning.”

“From here, went to Oscorp,” Harry started. “Oscorp to coffee, coffee to Landman and Zack for the legal papers, there to Alton Walters’ office to drop off the financial estimates, Walters to Wall Street -- Peter caught me there -– Then back to Oscorp. Dad had texted me that he needed the legal stuff asap. While I was home, I made another coffee. Then he needed me to run a few more things and mail off stuff so –-“

“So your dad had your bag?” Johnny interrupted.

Harry opened his mouth and closed it. “Yeah,” He said. “I left it in his office while he printed the other files off. He told me it was going to be a while, so I could make a slow drip if I wanted.”

“What does your dad want with Peter, Harry?”

There wasn’t anything that Norman wanted from Peter. Maybe for him to finish college and work at Oscorp. But he wanted everything from Spider-Man. He wanted Spider-Man to join the Project Green. He wanted to create super soldiers from Spider-Man’s genetic makeup. “Oh God. He knows Peter is Spider-Man.”

“Shit,” Johnny breathed. “Okay. We gotta -–“

“We gotta go,” Harry said, standing up and grabbing his bag from Johnny. He started toward the door. “The Goblin asked Peter to join his team. He wanted to hire Spider-Man for Project Green.”

“Do ... do you think Peter went willingly?” Johnny said, grabbing Harry’s wrist, stopping him. If Peter joined Oscorp, then they’re storming in at the wrong situation. They needed to think through their options, something Johnny wasn’t too fond of doing.

“No,” Harry said, pulling his arm away. “I asked him not to.”

“Why?”

Harry hesitated. He’s told Peter he didn’t want him to be his lifeline. That he didn’t want to rely on him for all of his life. He didn’t need Peter to be a guinea pig or a lab rat. He didn’t want Peter’s life to be constantly under needles because Harry’s muscles were deteriorating. But there was more than that. “We wanted to do this in the spring,” He said quietly. “Capture Spider-Man. Bring him in. Make it easier for us, so we wouldn’t have to keep getting samples. Oscorp wasn’t going to offer employment to Spider-Man. They were going to keep him. Run tests over him. Find out what made him Spider-Man.”

Johnny clenched his jaw as he studied Harry. He could tell that Harry regretted it. That some part of him at one point thought it was a good plan, that it was the only plan that Oscorp had, but he was washed over with remorse. “And you were okay with it? In April?”

Harry nodded gently. “Because I thought Spider-Man was with Peter. I didn’t know his identity. The night I found out his identity was the night I was going to bring him in. I beat up Spider-Man, Johnny. I hurt Peter because I thought I was hurting someone else. I thought … I thought Peter was cheating on me and instead of talking to Peter, I beat him up. I thought … ” Harry laughed bitterly, running his hand over his eyes to stop the tears from forming. “I thought I was protecting Peter. That Spider-Man was no good for him and that I was protecting him. God. I’m so dumb.”

“You didn’t know then,” Johnny said, reaching out to run his hand up and down Harry’s arm. “But you knew what your dad had planned. And it’s probably very similar to what he has now. So what’s _our_   plan?”

\-----

Peter woke up slowly. It took him a moment to register his upright position, in his suit and maskless. And the laboratory he was in. And the restraints on his wrists. He tried to pull at it, but the metal wouldn’t budge. He exhaled and pulled harder.

“It’s no use, Peter.”

Peter moved his attention to the metal around his wrists to Norman, ten feet away from him, at a control panel. Norman grinned sinisterly.

“The metal is indestructible,” He said. “Adamantium. It may have been a bit expensive for my taste, but from the rumors I’ve heard, it’s worth the cost.”

Peter relaxed his arms, knowing that he wasn’t going to be able to break the restraints. But he stayed attentive, keeping his eyes on Norman. He balled his fists, feeling the webshooter’s trigger against his palm. Not that it would be any use with his wrists restrained.

“Peter Parker,” Norman said, almost singsongingly. He pushed away from the computer and the panel and walked to Peter. “I’ve trusted you, Peter. I’ve offered you positions here, as an intern, as a research assistant. I’ve allowed you into my home. I’ve brought you into my family -–“

“You didn’t do _shit_   for me,” Peter spat. “The most you can claim is bringing Harry into my life.”

“Don’t you dare say my son’s name,” Norman snapped. “You tore him away from me -–“

“No, _you_ did that,” Peter said, jolting his body forward to fight only to be held back by the metal around his body. “You cohered him to be the Green Goblin. You made him suit up –-“

“You pulled him away from me!” Norman grabbed Peter’s suit, pulling him in as much as he could. The restraints dug into Peter’s skin. “You compromised him. Told him that I was the bad guy. He was hesitant to bring you in, you convinced him _you_   were worth more than his health --“

“I never did,” Peter tried to pull away from Norman’s tight grip. “He told me not to. Harry told me -–“

Norman slammed Peter back against the backing. Peter gasped as his head hit the metal. Hard. “I told you not to say his name. I have given you plenty of opportunities to join my team, Peter. What was the downside of being his cure?”

“He didn’t want me to,” Peter gritted. “I thought he felt guilty that he was relying on me, but I can see he was protecting me from you.”

“He doesn’t get that choice,” Norman said, finally letting go of Peter. He walked back to the computer at the control panel, checking Peter’s vital levels. “He lost that choice when the disorder developed.” He glared at Peter. “I’m not going to lose my son just because he thinks he’s in love.”

Norman picked up a vial off the table next to him, approaching Peter. He grabbed Peter’s arm, gripping it tightly as he pricked his skin with the needle, drawing a blood sample.

“Super strength, ability to scale walls,” Norman said, pulling the needle out of his arm, but keeping his grip tight on his arm. “Healing ability. I don’t remember your father having these skills.”

“And you want to know where I developed them, hm?” Peter smirked. “You lost that privilege when you forced Harry –-“

Norman let go of Peter’s arm. He brought his fist acrossed Peter’s jaw.

He brought his fist back up before hearing the security radio click on, a voice crackling through the static. “Norman, there’s an intruder in lab 50.”

Norman walked away from Peter and picked up the radio. “Can you tell who it is?”

“The Human Torch.”

Norman frowned.

Peter grinned.

“I’ll handle him,” Norman said begrudgingly. “Keep the building locked down.”

“Lab 48 now,” the voice said. “I’ll keep an eye out for him.”

Norman sighed, setting the vial down on the table. He glanced back to Peter, who let his grin fade. “I’ll be back for you. Just … sit tight.”

As soon as Norman left, Peter glanced around the room, searching for something that could help him. He couldn’t get out of the restraints, but if he could just … aim his webs a little, he could possibly bring something to him. He tried his strength again, he could move cars, he could stop trains, he should be able to break this … right?

He grunted as he pulled, the metal digging into his skin again. He had to try harder.

He stopped when he heard the lab door open again.

“Oh god, Pete.”

Harry ran to him. Peter pulled a pained smile. He didn’t want Harry to be here … but he glad he was.

Harry pressed his hand against Peter’s cheek. He leaned in, pressing a quick, soft kiss against Peter’s lips, relieved that he found him. “God, I’m … I’m sorry.”

“You didn’t do this,” Peter said. “I can’t –- I can’t break free.”

Harry nodded, turning to the control panel. He glanced at the computer screen, quickly searching for the restraints’ release. Once he found it, he tried to deactivate it, only to find it protected by fingerprints. “Fuck,” He huffed. “Okay.” He hesitantly pressed his hand against the scanner, instantly being denied. “We gotta -– we gotta try something else.”

“Hare, I can’t break free,” Peter repeated.

 _“I_ _gotta_   try something else,” Harry clarified, running his free hand down Peter’s arm. He stopped at his wrist, working his fingers underneath the restraint.

“Hare –-“

“I got a plan,” Harry said, loosening Peter’s webshooter off his wrist. “Granted, it was Plan F. But ... I think it could work.”

“I ... I don’t like the sound of that,” Peter wrinkled his brow. “We can find something else. Johnny’s here.“

“Johnny’s our distraction,” Harry said, putting the webshooter on his wrist. Once it was fastened, he exhaled softly. “Just ... just be ready.”

“Harry –-“

Harry leaned in, kissing Peter once more, gentle and long and ... almost bittersweet. Peter felt his gut twist. He didn’t feel good about the kiss.

“Harry -–“

Glass broke.

They turned their attention to the large window panel shattered. Johnny engulfed in flames outside of the window. “He’s still not free?” He called. “Shit.”

“It’s –-“

“Fingerprint protected,” Norman said from the door. He walked in, his right hand encased in the Goblin Gauntlet. Harry shifted himself, standing in front of Peter as best as he could. Johnny flew into the lab, stepping on the ground, ready to fight. “Peter’s staying. You two can leave.”

“I’m not leaving without him,” Harry said, his arms outstretched to protect Peter. “You can’t ... you can’t keep him from me.”

Norman stepped toward Harry. “Step away, Harry.”

Before he could even reach out for Harry, Johnny sprung into action. Engulfed in flames, he came toward Norman. Norman brought his gauntlet up, palm faced toward him, blasting him with an electrifying repulsor beam. Johnny flew backward against the wall, flames extinguished. He groaned, as he tried to push himself off the ground, unable to relight himself on fire. He glanced up toward Harry and Peter as he attempted again, falling back against the ground. The blast too strong, knocking the wind out of him and the electric currents stunning his ability to reflame.

Norman grinned. He grabbed Harry’s shirt, pulling him away from Peter with great force, throwing him away from Peter and the control panel. Harry barely lucked out, landing on his good arm and merely inches away from the broken glass on the ground.

“Take the Human Torch and leave,” Norman said. “Peter and I have some catching up to do.”

“No,” Harry said, pushing himself off the ground.

“Hare, please -–“

“Listen to him,” Norman smirked. “He’s begging for you to leave.”

Harry watched his dad walk to the control panel. Once Norman was close to the computer, Harry extended his arm forward, pressing the webshooter’s trigger and webbing Norman’s torso to the panel.

“Harry –-“

“Free him,” Harry ordered. “Free Peter.”

“Or I could just ... ” Norman trailed off as he lifted his gauntlet hand toward Peter, charging the beam. “You saw what happened to the Human Torch. You’re smart enough to realize what this blast could do at such a short distance.”

Harry took a step backward.

Peter’s eyes darted behind him, suddenly realizing Harry wasn’t backing away from the fight. He was stepping closer to it.

“Harry –-“

“He’s begging for you to save him,” Norman teased. Harry took another step backward. “You can save him by leaving.”

Harry took another step backward. The glass cracked under his shoes. He felt the cold breeze from outside against his neck.

“Harry, please,” Peter called, trying to pull himself out of the restraints. He needed to stop Harry. He was too close to the edge. “Don’t –-“

“It’s the only way,” Harry said. “Dad, release him. Peter is the only one that can save me.”

Norman wrinkled his brow. “Save you?”

Harry took a half-step back, feeling his heel hang off the edge.

Peter jerked his body toward Harry, almost pulling the backing from its supporting beams.

Norman’s eyes grew large before narrowing again. “You have … you have webs.”

“Norman, he’s not –- he’s not going to be able to,” Peter said frantically. He pulled at the restraints, wishing for a surge of strength. “At the rate he’d fall, he might not catch the web, or it will slip from his hand or his arm might -- and he might not have time to -– Norman it’s not going to end well. Please, Norman. Please!”

Harry watched Norman’s reluctance. He felt his throat tighten. “Pete,” His voice fought its way out of his throat. He knew what would happen if his dad wouldn't release Peter. He knew he wouldn't have enough time to do anything. Harry cleared his throat, speaking louder. “Peter. I love you, you know that.”

“Harry,” Peter begged. His body jerked as he continued to fight out of the restraints. “Please don’t.”

“I love you,” Harry repeated. He looked back toward his father. “Peter is the only one who can save me.”

He closed his eyes and stepped off the edge. He could barely hear Peter scream for him as all sound was replaced by the air blowing by his ears. He knew Peter was right, he couldn’t save himself with the webshooter. He could only hope that Norman freed Peter.

But with every millisecond that passed ... he braced himself for the concrete against his back. Maybe he wouldn’t even feel it. Maybe he’ll be dead before he hits the ground.

He just wished he could’ve spent his last day with Peter.

He felt air pushed out of his lungs as he felt something against his back. He opened his eyes, vision quickly blackening.

*****

In the split second that Harry jumped and Peter screamed, Norman realized that if Harry wasn’t exaggerating. Norman alone would be responsible for his son’s death. He quickly turning his body as much as he could to place his hand against the scanner, freeing Peter.

Peter’s body already was in a forward motion from attempting to pull himself from the restraints. As soon as the metal loosened its grip on him, he took off running, diving out the window for Harry below. He aimed his webshooter toward Harry, ready to grab him, until he realized he was a webshooter short. He could grab Harry, but he wouldn’t be able to stop them from falling until he pulled Harry in. He had to think quick to save them both.

He reached for his hip. He grabbed the small orb out of his pocket, feeling it expand in his hand. He gave a quick squeeze and, with a silent prayer, threw it down.

He watched as it passed Harry.

It beeped twice before exploding. A large cobweb spread between Oscorp and the building over, creating a safety net.

Harry landed safety in the web.

Peter felt like he could breathe again.

He brought his only webshooter up, catching on to a deserted flagpole and lowered himself to Harry.

He pulled his glove off, pressing his palm against Harry’s cheek.

“Harry.” He felt his eyes well up with tears. His voice raw with fear as he whispered his boyfriend’s name as Harry stared blankly to the sky. “Harry.”

Harry closed his eyes, blinking slowly, pulling his vision back in. “Shit,” He breathed. “Let’s -– let’s not do that ever again.”

Peter laughed in relief. He closed his eyes, leaning forward to press his forehead against Harry’s. “Please don’t do that ever again. Ever.”

Harry closed his eyes, nodding gently. “Is it a bad time to wish you a happy anniversary?”

Peter’s laugh was raw and sweet, full of solace and exhaustion. He ran his thumb over Harry’s cheek. “Happy anniversary.”

\-----

It wasn’t much longer before Peter pulled Harry off the cobweb. It was their first real test of the cobweb and they weren’t sure how much longer it was going to last. Peter took his other webshooter from Harry, before wrapping his arm around his waist and pulling him back up to the Oscorp lab.

Johnny had pulled himself to his feet, angry and approaching Norman. It was almost impossible to hear him over the roar of his flames. Norman raised his gauntlet, aiming it toward him. Peter webbed the gauntlet, pulling it off of Norman’s arm. Johnny looked at the two, relieved. He let his flames die down.

“Harry,” Norman said, in a tone that was caught somewhere between relieved to see his son still alive and begging to be freed. But somehow, he still sounded disappointed. Disappointed in the way Harry curled up close to Spider-Man, even if it was Peter under that suit. Norman had to wonder after all they did to try to capture Spider-Man … how did Harry choose the vigilante over his own father?

Peter could feel Harry tense against his side. He gave a tight squeeze as he felt himself wash over with anger.

“No!” Peter spat, letting go of Harry as he stormed to Norman. “Don’t you dare say his name!”

He webbed one of Norman’s arms against the panel. Peter brought his hands into a fist, ready to bring them down against Norman’s cheek, like he had did to Peter. Harry’s light touch on his arm stopped him.

“Peter,” He whispered. “Let me handle this.”

Peter hesitated. He was furious with the way Norman treats Harry, furious with how he was treated this afternoon, furious that Norman was still breathing. He stepped down, backing up a few feet but still attentive. He couldn’t trust Norman.

“My son –-“

“No,” Harry said, walking to the control panel. He picked up the vial of Peter’s blood, putting it in his pocket. “My father died when he became the Goblin.”

“Harry –-“

“I’m not yours anymore,” Harry stood in front of his father, feet planted. “I’m not yours to control. Not anymore.” He glanced back at Peter, feeling his eyes well up with tears. He turned back to Norman, running his hand through his hair. “You fucking kidnapped, Peter!”

“Harry -–“

“There’s no defendable answer for that!” Harry shouted. “You can’t control Peter. He’s not like your son. So you kidnapped him to force him -–“

“To save you!” Norman yelled. “This has always been about you!”

“No,” Harry snapped. “This has been about your legacy. You’d rather have your son alive and in your control than free to make his own choices. I’m making my own choices, starting now.” He moved to the computer, working fast.

“What are you doing?” Norman scorned. He was too far away to reach Harry, but Peter stood on edge, carefully watching in case Harry got too close.

“Deleting,” Harry said. “I’m not going to be a part of your life, so you don’t need the project anymore.”

Norman jolted forward in the webs. Peter quickly sprayed more, immobilizing Norman. He stepped closer, ready to be the shield in between Norman and Harry. “Harry, there’s so much work we’ve done. So much that we put into the project.”

“I don’t want to be a part of it,” Harry said. “What’s the point if I won’t take the serum? Super soldiers?”

Norman hesitated.

“I knew it,” Harry breathed. Peter pressed his hand against Harry’s back.

“We should go,” Peter whispered, knowing if they’d stay any longer they might find themselves in the hands of security. Harry nodded, leaning into Peter as he wrapped his arm around his waist, walking him to the elevator. They gestured for Johnny to follow them.

Harry stopped, pulling away from Peter for a moment to look back at Norman. “Do me a favor for once in your life, Norman,” Harry said. “Stay out of mine.”


	23. 'Norman, what are you doing here? Get out!'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Three chapter update! I realized that with the schedule I had planned, I would be updating over the holidays when family was over and this seemed easier than to find time to update. Plus, I've been really excited about this being done! 
> 
> (So make sure you've read chapter 21 and 22 before reading the epilogue.)

**epilogue**

The boys raided Harry’s room. Taking anything important and small first. He had a lot of stuff already at the dorms, but they managed to stuff a duffle bag full. They found his phone in the kitchen on the way out. They only had a little bit of time before Norman was freed. Whether the security found him then quickly searching the building for the vigilantes and the young Osborn, or if he let the webbing dissolve, which could happen in a matter of hours.

Either way, the boys acted quickly, leaving through a window: the Human Torch engulfed in flames and Spider-Man swinging behind him, holding Harry tightly.

It wasn’t until they got to the Baxter Building before they let their emotions get the best of them. Johnny ordered pizza for them as Peter held Harry as he realized what he did. He severed his ties to his dad, the only family member he cared about within the United States. The man who he grew up with, who held him when he was a crying child, who had spent countless nights trying to create a cure for his disorder. Peter ran his hand through Harry’s hair, half-calming Harry and half-keeping himself from going back to Oscorp to beat Norman to a pulp. Harry's tight grip on his arm was keeping him here.

“You have me,” Peter said as he played with Harry's hair. “You have me and Aunt May and Johnny. We’re your family.”

Harry sighed softly, nodding against Peter’s shoulder. “Thank you.”

It wasn’t much longer after they calmed down and the pizza arrived when Johnny’s phone rang. He took the call, realizing he never cancelled the movie date with Wyatt. He looked over at the couple, trying to figure out what to do.

“Step 25?” Harry asked.

“That was pretending you guys cancelled on us,” Johnny said away from the phone.

“Step 25B,” Peter suggested. “We’ll call it an early night and go to bed early. You guys have privacy --“

“Yeah, we’re still on,” Johnny said back to the phone. “We’ve ordered pizza. I’ll meet you downstairs.”

The Baxter Building became a third home to Peter and Harry. The second obviously being the Parker household. Once Aunt May caught whiff of Harry ending his relationship with Norman, she took him in. Reed was accepting of the boys, happy to see Johnny’s friends becoming regulars around the living room. (Less happy to see them with their messy experiments in the labs.)

The blood sample that Norman took that night went straight to Reed. There, Peter confessed to Harry that he’s been working with Reed to duplicate the serum. He wanted to create Harry’s medicine without the fear of super soldiers, and he felt like Reed was the best option. Harry was frustrated at first, but within an hour, he had calmed down and agreed. Reed wouldn’t use Peter like his father tried to. Reed had his head leveled … for the most part. Reed could help them.

They really only stayed the night at the Baxter Building on nights that Johnny had invited them over for a sleepover or when Harry felt unsafe, even with Peter by his side.

After the third night of staying at the Baxter Building on a hunch that the Goblin might be out for the night, Peter suggested that they should look for help if Harry wasn't going to allow him to go out and fight the Goblin.

“We don’t need the Avengers,” Harry ruffled his brow as he moved a pawn forward. Valeria moved her bishop, putting Harry into check. Johnny rolled his eyes as he was forced to waste his move getting their king out of check. “We have the Fantastic Four.”

“Not that kind of help,” Peter said, leaning off the couch, moving a white piece after Franklin made his move.

“Not fair,” Franklin pouted. “Now it’s three-against-two.”

“They might have a chance,” Valeria said, moving a rook and taking their queen.

“Then what do you mean?” Harry moved another pawn.

“I mean, like, law help,” Peter said. Franklin put the boys in check again. Johnny groaned, moving their king back out of check. “With legalities and stuff.”

“What’s more to do?” Harry asked, turning his full attention to Peter. “We got most of my stuff from the house, I pulled what money I could get from my account to a new one. What else?”

“How about a restraining order?” Peter suggested. “You have leverage. Give yourself power over him.”

“You think that could work?”

“It’s worth a shot,” Peter said. “Didn’t you say that there were some Columbia interns at the law office you guys use?”

There were.

And it took a lot of effort to find the two law students, but eventually, they found them nestled between books in the library. It took a moment before both men acknowledged Peter and Harry standing in front of them.

“Are you … looking for someone in particular?” the red-head asked.

“You,” Harry said. “Well, the both of you. You work for Landman and Zack, right?”

“Work is a subjective term,” the blonde said. “Interns? Yes. Paychecks? No.”

“Right,” Harry said, slipping into the chair across from the pair. Peter followed suit. “I need your help. I need to write a legal document. It doesn’t have to be from Landman and Zack, it just – it just needs to sound like I’m serious.”

“I’m sorry we’re really busy,” The blonde said. “We have so much we need to do before -–“

“I can pay,” Harry insisted.

“I’m Foggy,” the blonde said, reaching his hand out to shake Harry’s hand. “And this is Matt.”

“I’m Harry -–“

“Osborn?” Matt said, raising an eyebrow.

“That’s ... that’s debatable,” Harry said, shifting in his seat. “That’s actually what I need help with.”

Matt ruffled his brow, as if he was trying to read Harry. “No,” He said plainly, turning his attention back to his e-book, the tablet’s screen changing the braille as he ‘turned’ the page. “You can use Landman and Zack, like your father.”

Foggy looked devastated.

“Give us a second,” Foggy said, pulling Matt away from Peter and Harry. Peter gave Harry a comforting look and a gentle squeeze to his knee. If they couldn’t get the law students to help them, Peter knew Aunt May could help find them a decently cheap lawyer to help. While Harry had some money in his account, he couldn’t afford much more than law students who needed spare cash. Actually, the more Peter thought about it, they might just hang out in the lobby of Columbia Law. They could find other law students.

“We’ll do it,” Foggy said, turning back to the boys.

“He means _he’ll_   do it,” Matt said, almost pained to accept the task. “He also names the price.”

“Okay,” Harry nodded. “Let me tell you what I’m needing first.”

The next morning, Harry found a manila envelope on the inside of his door. He opened it, realizing that Matt and Foggy had worked all night to finish his declaration for him.

He sighed in relief as he leaned against his desk and read through it. He was surprised that they followed through. After Harry told them what he wanted, Matt still seemed uninterested in helping or, at least, hid his emotions well.

Harry needed a legal statement, almost a contract, with his dad. He didn’t want contact with his father. At least, for now. He couldn’t imagine looking at his father after what he did to Peter. He just needed time to heal. Time to heal from his father’s constant hovering, from his controlling habits. It wasn’t that Norman was a bad father, he just … didn’t think things through. His mind was set permanently in CEO and struggled to find the father switch. Harry hoped that when he’s a father, he’s nothing like the man Norman is today.

Harry knew cutting off contact with Norman would mean changing his way of life completely. He’d have to think twice before buying anything. He’d find himself on the subways a lot more. God, now that he thought about it, he wasn’t sure how he was going to pay for school if that was cut off. He had a legacy scholarship, but there was so much more that needed to be paid for.

The legal statement mainly was a way for Harry to get his point across without having to talk with his father in person. He didn’t want to take legal action. He didn’t want to file a restraining order. He wanted something where he was in control. That if his father pushed back on his requests, Harry would be the first to tell the story about what truly goes on in the company’s labs.

He took his copy, leaving it on his desk and stuck the other in a clean envelope, addressing it to his father and putting it in his bag. He’ll find time between classes to drop it off at the campus bookstore to be sent out. For once, Harry wanted to be in control of his life.

A few days later, Harry received the paperwork back, including a signed signature from his father agreeing to the terms.

Harry felt relieved. For once, _he_ was in control of his life.

\-----

Harry had no clue how to budget.

Well, scratch that. He knew how to make a budget and how to theoretically stay under a budget, but that was from a business stand point. It should apply to his own wallet, too. But he didn’t know how to budget when there wasn’t a steady income (whether it was his own earned cash from Oscorp or an allowance from his father).

He blew through eighty dollars in the first week.

He almost didn’t realize it until Peter asked him about the coffees he was bringing them. Suddenly, Harry remembered that the five dollars here and there add up quickly.

“Maybe …” Harry mumbled against Peter’s lips. He pulled away from their kiss, slowly moving his hand from Peter’s jaw to his chest. They’ve been spending a lot of time in the suite lately and a lot more nights in Peter’s room. Harry felt … unsafe in his own room. Especially alone. He usually was over at the suite when Peter was there. Sometimes, when only Johnny was there. Once, when his anxiety was really bad, it was just Ezra with him. “Maybe I should get a job.”

“Is that what you’ve been thinking of while making out with me?” Peter said defensively. He was joking … for the most part.

“I’m serious,” Harry laughed. “I saw Professor Modell had a few listings for research assistants. They might just be summer positions, but that’s better than nothing.”

“Is that what you want to do?” Peter asked, running his fingers through Harry’s hair, trying to push the long locks away from his face.

“Yeah,” Harry nodded. “I didn’t realize how much I spend and if we’re planning to get an apartment, I need to start earning _something_. Plus, if he lets me, I can start early. Gives me something to do while you’re out punching people.”

“Are we still planning for an apartment?” Peter had thought they weren’t going to get an apartment this summer after the incident with Norman. If Norman was originally going to pay for it and Harry cut him out, Peter assume that meant dropping the idea that they were getting an apartment, too. Peter figured if they were going to move in together, that they would either be roommates or try to get a suite with Johnny.

“Yeah, I figured so,” Harry said, leaning back down to press a soft kiss against Peter’s lips. “I figured I’d just save a lot and we can find a cheap place. I mean, even if we get a nice studio apartment it wouldn’t be too bad.” He pecked his lips again. “I think I saw the listing was for 20 or 25 hours a week. And it was fulltime in the summer. We could make it work out.” He kissed Peter again.

Peter closed his eyes as he melted into the kiss –- wait a second.

“Wait a second,” Peter said, moving his hand to Harry’s shoulder to push him back up. “Have you ever had a minimum-wage job before?”

“Uh –-“

“Oh my god,” Peter brought his hand to his face, rubbing the exhaustion that suddenly filled his eyes. “We’re not going to be able to afford an apartment on part-time minimum wage pay. I don’t think we could even afford it with full-time minimum-wage pay. What are the chances it even pays?”

“What seriously?”

“You’re kidding me.”

“Huh,” Harry said, propping himself up on Peter to look at him square on, making sure he wasn’t fibbing. “I guess I didn’t think about that.”

“You are such a trust fund baby,” Peter laughed. Harry playfully smacked his chest before leaning back down to kiss him again.

It wasn’t long after then that Harry submitted his application for the position. If he started early, he could set money aside for their apartment. Peter set a reminder in his phone to apply for housing in the spring for the both of them.

A week later, Harry received an email. He got the position. He was offered the full-time position in the summer, and up to twenty hours during the week if he wanted to start right away. And to Peter’s surprise, it actually came with pay. Not enough Harry realized after he received his first paycheck. A few weeks later, he picked up another job as a barista at a nearby coffee shop.

Peter swore Harry was going to overwork himself.

But it was something for Harry to do in between long periods of waiting for Peter to come home or when Johnny ditched him to hang out with Wyatt (to be fair, those dates were planned before Harry asked Johnny to hang out).

Between the four jobs that Harry and Peter have collectively (Spider-Man counts as an occupation), it felt like they hardly had any time with each other. For a while, they only saw each other in their shared organic chemistry class, during lunch and within the late hours of somebody fumbling their way through the dark into the shared bed.

So anytime that Professor Modell cancelled the research team for the afternoon or New York has a calm night, they made sure to spend every moment that they could together. Whether it’s a quiet study time in the library, knees touching under the table as they studied separately, or a quick doctor’s visit to finally remove the stubborn cast and get fitted with a wrist splint, or a quick bite to eat at a cheap diner. Even without his father’s money to support him, Harry still grabbed the check before Peter could even reach for it.

One night, after Peter snuck through his own window in the dorm and he crawled into the bed with Harry, they realized that without the sudden cancellation of shifts, they were barely seeing one another.

“Why are you still wearing your suit?” Harry sleepily asked Peter placed soft kisses against his skin. He extended his neck farther, giving Peter more space to work with, as he gently ran his fingertips down Peter’s ribcage, following the web design.

“Well,” Peter started, between kisses. “I thought we could have a little fun.”

Harry sighed happily as he ran his hand up Peter’s back, planning to tangle his hand in the back of Peter’s hair, only to find his mask was still on, rolled up partially. “You fucking perv,” he laughed.

“Are you down?” Peter asked, leaning up. He lifted his mask up further, past his eyes to look at Harry. “I mean, we don’t have to -– I can take the mask off -–“

“No, it’s just -–“ Harry sighed. “Rain check? I picked up a morning shift at the coffee shop. They needed someone to open.”

“What time?”

“I need to be there by 6 so I can open at 7.”

Peter sighed, pulling the mask fully off and laying his head against Harry’s bare shoulder. “You should be asleep.”

“I should’ve been asleep two hours ago,” Harry smiled, running his fingers through Peter’s hair. “I’ll be fine. There’s coffee there.”

For a few moments, they were just quiet. Peter, at one point, thought Harry may have fallen back asleep, but his fingers gently moved through his hair. “We’re ships passing in the night,” Peter mumbled.

“God, that’s so cliché,” Harry whispered. He wanted to laugh, but it was too true. He looked at Peter, running his thumb over his temple. “I’ll fix this.”

 _“We’ll_   fix this,” Peter corrected. He pressed a gentle kiss against Harry’s bare shoulder. “We’ll find time together. We’ll figure this out.”

“We’ll figure this out,” Harry repeated, wrapping his arms tightly around Peter. He softly sighed and closed his eyes. “Good night, babe.”

“Good night,” Peter whispered back, leaning up to press a gentle kiss against Harry’s cheek. A few moments passed before Peter spoke up again. “Wait, I’m still in my suit.”

\-----

The holiday season arrived quickly, they barely had any time to breathe. The Fantastic Four invited Peter, Harry and Aunt May for a Thanksgiving dinner, but plans quickly changed when problems with Namor appeared. Instead, they celebrated Thanksgiving at the Parker household, inviting Johnny, Valeria and Franklin while Reed, Sue and Ben handled Namor.

The next week was finals. While they felt this was the most they saw each other, they also barely could focus on each other. It wasn’t until after the last final, they felt like they could breathe again.

They picked up more hours in their jobs. Harry spending a couple hours in the morning at the coffee shop while Peter picked up more photography assignments at the Daily Bugle. At least once a morning, Peter swung in to check on his favorite barista who was already making his order as Peter walked in the door.  

(“I need to stop coming in here so often,” Peter joked one day as he shoved an extra dollar in the tip jar. Harry rolled his eyes as he leaned over the counter. Peter always came at a dead hour, so he didn’t have to worry too much about focusing on other customers. “It’s a bad coffee shop love story waiting to happen and I already have a boyfriend.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Harry laughed under his breath. “Go take pictures of politicians or cats or something.”)

In the afternoons, Harry worked with Professor Modell. Peter would still be taking photos for the Bugle, but he’d focus more on the safety of the city. His afternoon assignments usually were few and far. They’d always met back up for supper, whether it ended up back at the coffee shop where Harry worked (and where they could get half-priced subs, thanks to an employee discount) or back at the Parker household in Queens. Sometimes, they’d splurge and double date with Johnny and Wyatt for sushi.

They would ride the subway home together if they were eating supper at home. It would mean that Peter would sneak back out of the house and go for a patrol in the evening. Sometimes, they’d use Johnny as a cover and Peter would patrol in Manhattan while Harry hung out with Johnny or talked with Reed about his serum.

Reed took full responsibility over Harry’s serum. He focused mainly on duplicating the current serum and making sure that Harry’s body was responding correctly. He’d have Harry self-report his vitals, thanks to the watch that Reed now knows about, but he would also check once a week with blood results, checking for any abnormalities. Harry swore he wouldn’t take oxycodone again and gave the rest of his pill bottle to Reed, but Reed would always check, just in case.

One evening, before Christmas, Harry and Peter arrived at the Parker household after a long day. Harry had worked a double shift at the coffee house, with a small break in between that he spent with Professor Modell. Peter was rushed around Manhattan for Bugle assignments, often stopping in between to stop a crime in process. They called it a day and ate cold cut subs on the subway to Queens.

“Boys, you have mail on the table!” Aunt May called from the living room as she heard the boys enter the house.

“Both of us?” Peter asked, pulling Harry into the kitchen as if he’s never been in the house before.

Peter already saw the answer before his aunt could shout back. He let go of Harry’s hand as he picked up the two envelopes, handing the manila envelope to his boyfriend. Peter opened his without hesitation, noticing the university’s logo on the front. He quickly scanned the letter, smiling.

“I made it on the dean’s list,” Peter grinned, pressing a quick kiss against Harry’s cheek. He stepped outside of the kitchen to go show Aunt May before he realized Harry was frozen in place, eyes glued to the pages in his hand. “Hare, is everything okay?”

“I … I made it too,” Harry said quietly. He looked up at Peter. “This is from dad.”

Peter set his letter on the table, his temper growing short. Norman was supposed to leave Harry alone, to let Harry contact him on his own terms. “What does he want?”

“To congratulate me,” Harry said. He felt his throat tighten. He knew his dad meant a kind gesture, but wasn’t supposed to send Harry anything. It was in their contract. He signed it. He wasn’t supposed to reach out to Harry. Peter reached out, taking the papers out of Harry’s shaking hands and pulling him into a strong embrace. “He wants to pay for the apartment.”

“What?”

“He said he wanted to congratulate me by paying for the apartment,” Harry said, closing his eyes and leaning into Peter. “The letter went to Oscorp and he opened it. He sent a list of apartments for us to check out. He wants to reconnect. As -– as if offering to pay was a good enough apology.”

Peter ran his hand up and down Harry’s back. “That’s a federal crime, opening someone else’s mail.”

Harry pulled back. Not far enough to pull out of Peter’s grip, but enough to look him as he processed his comment. He wiped his eye again as a grin appeared on his face. “You goof,” He laughed, leaning his head back against Peter’s chest. “Fuck, I love you so much.”

“I love you, too,” Peter said, pressing a gentle kiss against the top of Harry’s head. He held Harry for a few more quiet moments, running his hand up and down his back, before Harry spoke up again.

“What if we took his offer?” His voice hardly louder than a whisper. “I mean. It’s a good offer. We wouldn’t have to overwork ourselves and we could actually spend time together.”

Peter opened his mouth and closed it. Harry was right. It would be easier if they didn’t have to worry about rent or a mortgage. Peter personally hated the idea of reconnecting with Norman ... but he knew it meant something to Harry. He leaned back, brushing the locks out of Harry’s face. “As long as you’re okay with it.”

“I think I am,” Harry said, nodding. “I … I think we should talk to May about this. See what she thinks.”

“She’s going to say no,” Peter laughed. “I can tell you that. She thinks your dad’s no good.”

“She’s not wrong.”

\-----

“Is that the last of them?” Harry called from the kitchen as he unpacked dishes from the cardboard box.

“Yeah,” Peter said, setting the three boxes in the ground with a loud thump. He jumped on the couch that was left awkwardly placed in the center of the living room by the moving company and sighed loudly. “We’re finally done. We’re finally moved in.”

“ ‘Done’ is a relative term,” Harry laughed, as he put the silverware into the sink. It’s been in boxes for several years, he’s not sure if it qualifies as clean. “We still have to unpack boxes.”

“That can wait right?” Peter asked. Harry glared at him, only to be met with arms outreached for him. He sighed, setting the cups into the sink as he begrudgingly went to Peter and collapsed in his arms. Peter wrapped his arms around Harry’s waist and leaned up to kiss him.

“We have to unpack sometime,” Harry mumbled against Peter’s lips. He did nothing to pull Peter up from the couch to help him unpack. He actually did the opposite as he adjusted himself better on top of Peter. He cupped Peter’s jaw in his hand, gently lifting his chin up for a better kiss. Peter grinned.

“Most of that stuff has been in there for years, it can wait a little longer,” Peter said, splitting his lips slightly, enough to nip gently at Harry’s bottom lip. The noise Harry made was enough to make Peter smirk. “Did they move the mattress up already?”

“Yeah, but it’s not set up,” Harry said. “We still have to put the frame together.”

“Then I guess we’ll have to break in the couch,” Peter grinned as he moved a hand from Harry’s waist downward to firmly grab his ass.

“I’m sure it’s already broken in,” Harry smirked. Most of their ‘new’ furniture and dishware previously belonged to Peter’s parents and were items that May and Ben had a hard time deciding whether or not to sell them, in case Richard and Mary came back. It seemed like Peter wasn’t the only one who was holding out for his parents to return. “You’d think your parents -–“

“I don’t want to think about that -–“

“They probably –-“

“Harry –-“

“I mean, it was the '90s –-“

“I don’t make out with you on your parents’ old couch and talk about them having sex.”

“Fair point,” Harry said, moving his kisses to Peter’s neck. “But I don’t think the Osborns have ever owned a couch older than five years.” He nipped at Peter’s skin. “Come on. We have to finish unboxing. Your aunt is coming over tomorrow for supper.”

“She won’t mind a few boxes,” Peter said, tightening his arm around Harry’s waist. “Just a few more minutes?”

Harry thought, his lips placed firmly against Peter’s neck. “Fine,” He said with a smile. He moved back up to Peter’s lips. “But you’re putting that bed frame together.”

Peter jokingly sighed before leaning into the kiss, quickly deepening it before Harry changed his mind.

\-----

The boys have been settled in for a few weeks before they officially sent out e-invites to a small group for a housewarming party. It wasn’t anything big. Mainly, just dinner and an apartment tour for those who wanted it. Peter and Harry joked about movies or board games, but they weren’t sure if anyone would really want to stick around late on a Wednesday night. They at least planned for Johnny and Wyatt to hang out with them after everyone left.

Harry didn’t think twice about the day Peter picked until it was the morning of.

“You fuck!” He called from the kitchen over the bacon cooking. Peter came out of the bathroom, towel in hand as he dried his hair.

“What?” Peter asked with a devious smile. “Are you ready for round two, birthday boy -–“

“You fucking planned this,” Harry groaned. Peter wrapped his arms around Harry’s waist. “It’s a birthday party, too, isn’t it?”

Peter hummed a kiss against Harry’s neck.

Harry sighed. “I hate you.”

“I love you, too.”

Harry realized it may turn out to be an actual party than a dinner. Which was fine, except he invited his dad. He wanted to try to make up with his father, especially since his dad was trying to be better. Harry knew he couldn’t return to Oscorp, not yet, but he could start mending the bridge to get there.

The doorbell rang at exactly five o’clock. Harry wasn’t expecting anyone to show up for another hour. He took the kitchen towel with him, drying his hands as he opened the door. Norman stood awkwardly with a bottle of non-alcoholic champagne and a wrapped gift.

“Dad –-“

“Norman, what are you doing here? Get out!”

Norman and Harry both turned their attention to Peter, who chased a small cat out of the living room and to the window. He picked it up, setting it outside on the fire escape and shutting the window. He looked toward Harry, realizing that his father was there.

“Oh, hey -- hey Norman,” He said, sheepishly. “The -– there’s a stray cat. He gets in sometimes.”

“And he’s called … Norman?” Norman asked.

“Yeah,” Harry said nonchalantly. As if it was normal to name a stray cat after your estranged father. “He looked like a Goblin. So it was natural.”

Peter cautiously moved toward Harry, in case Norman reacted badly, but Norman surprised Peter. Norman laughed, hard. Like it was the funniest thing he’s ever heard in his life.

Harry looked toward Peter and laughed in relief. It was a joke. They meant no harm with naming the cat after Norman. It just happened.

The cat showed up a few days after they started to unpack, finding its way around their home and constantly in their stuff. At first, the boys would take the cat outside and place him on the sidewalk, but a few hours later it would end up back in their apartment meowing.

Once, they decided to take it to an animal shelter, thinking that was it. They wouldn’t see the cat again. Then it came back, meowing on their window sill as it tried to paw itself in. Another time, Peter took the damn cat all the way to Staten Island to drop it off at the animal shelter there. But a few days later, it returned.

“We’re never getting rid of it,” Peter groaned as the cat tangled between their legs. Half of him wondered if a drive to New Jersey would be worth it, if it meant that the cat wouldn't be back. But some part of him knew that it would be on their window sill the next day. He reached down, picking it up. The cat squirmed in Peter’s hands, stopping as it leaned back and recognized Peter’s face. The cat meowed, tilting his head. His ears were twice as large of his head, almost making the small cat unbalanced as he focused on the man holding him.  “God, he looks like Yoda or a troll or something.”

“Or a goblin,” Harry gave a bitter laugh as he reached to scratch behind the cat’s ears. The couple stood in the kitchen for a few moments, with the cat in between them. Harry took the cat in his hands and took it back to the window. He set the cat outside, on the fire escape and pulled the screen back down. “Go find a home, Norman.”

“Don’t name him, he’s going to keep coming back,” Peter laughed.

“He already does that,” Harry groaned, as the cat sat down, watching in through the window. “He’s just … keeps finding a way back into our lives.”

Peter’s phone buzzed, pulling his attention away from Norman the cat, Norman the father, and Harry.

“Johnny says he’s downstairs with the cake,” Peter said, looking up at Harry, making sure it was alright for him to go and help. “Why don’t you give a tour?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Harry said, nodding. “Yeah. We can do that.”

Peter walked toward the two Osborns, placing a soft kiss against Harry’s cheek. He ran his hand gently down Harry's arm, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. “I’ll be back in a few.”

Peter walked toward the door, giving a hard glare toward Norman. He knew he was supposed to be open-minded toward Norman. Harry wanted to try to reconnect with his dad. But Peter still didn’t trust him. Actually, Peter would certainly be glad to slam Norman against the wall and tell him to leave and never come back, with a few punches to really send the message through his thick skull. Peter almost objected to having Norman into their home … but he was paying for it. And Harry was pretty convincing.

“I’ll be back,” He said again, from the doorway, unclear if it was a promise for Harry or a warning for Norman. He reached down, scooping up the cat that somehow snuck back into the hallway of the building. He shut the door, heading downstairs to find Johnny and the cake.

By the time Harry finished the tour, Peter, Johnny and Wyatt made it back inside with the cake. Johnny clenched his jaw, uneasy about the older Osborn being there, but he glanced to Harry who looked content about his father’s presence. He pressed his lips together, pulling Wyatt to the living room.

Soon, others started to show up. Aunt May, Mary Jane, Gwen Stacy, Eddie Brock, even Flash Thompson and Liz Allan made it to the party. Peter pulled the last remaining dishes out of the oven, placing them along the kitchen island next to some of the already out dips. Everyone gathered to the kitchen, grabbing plates and filling it stuffed peppers, sliders and chips. There wasn’t much sitting area, but everyone made it work.

“Can I make a toast?” Harry asked amongst the chatter. He adjusted himself on the couch’s arm awkwardly as the attention shifted to him.

“I mean, it’s kind of cheesy,” Peter laughed, pressing a quick kiss against Harry’s cheek. “But it’s your birthday, so cheese away.”

“Thanks,” Harry laughed as he lifted his plastic cup filled with sparkling cider. He glanced to Peter, smiling, before looking across the room at his father, who leaned against the wall out of everyone’s way. “To new beginnings.”

“To … second chances,” Peter said, lifting his cup, hesitantly, but it was in the air.

“To you guys stop being gross all the time,” Johnny lifted his cup high. Wyatt smacked him enough that it caused Johnny to spill a little.

Peter and Harry laughed, taking a drink of their sparkling cider before leaning in for a quick kiss. And if you asked Harry, he would swear that he saw his dad smile before he took a drink.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Thanks for being a part of this journey! I really didn't mean for the epilogue to get this long, I'm sorry about that. I tell myself that I'm going to cut part of it out, and then it never happens.
> 
> Please feel free to come and bug me on tumblr @novacorpsrecruit.


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